Can somebody help me with this Ephemeris.

Sharla

Ive come across this link just now whilst googling for planetary movement.

http://www.true-node.com/eph1/?inpu...M&longitude=on&speed=on&.submit=Get+Ephemeris

Just not 100% how to use it, i've been just typing in the planet and started it from todays date, and that's it i've not changed anything else.

But i've just been looking at Mercury and its saying that Mercury is 26 degrees into Libra today, moving into Scorpio on the 25th and will stay in Scorpio right up until the 12th November.

This then is making mercury be in scorpio for 19 days......but i thought mercury only spent just over a week in each sign. Or can planets slow down at times ? Or are the settings on this table wrong ?
 

Minderwiz

Mercury's average speed is 1 degree a day BUT, there is considerable variation because of the retrograde periods. So fast Mercury can obtain speeds in excess of 1.5 degrees a day as it appears to race ahead of the Sun. Then it slows down turns retrograde and builds up speed to pass the Sun going in the opposite direction. It then slows down, turns direct and repeats the cycle.

Currently Mercury is 3 degrees behind the Sun but going faster and will overtake the Sun on 28th October and then race ahead.

So yes, Mercury can go through a sign in 19 days.
 

Sharla

Mercury's average speed is 1 degree a day BUT, there is considerable variation because of the retrograde periods. So fast Mercury can obtain speeds in excess of 1.5 degrees a day as it appears to race ahead of the Sun. Then it slows down turns retrograde and builds up speed to pass the Sun going in the opposite direction. It then slows down, turns direct and repeats the cycle.

Currently Mercury is 3 degrees behind the Sun but going faster and will overtake the Sun on 28th October and then race ahead.

So yes, Mercury can go through a sign in 19 days.

Ok thanks Minderwiz. So Mercury's average speed is at 1 degree a day, but wouldn't this make Mercury spend approx a month in each sign ?

Also as you mention regarding mercury being closely behind the sun at present, is this what's slowing mercury down then, especially as its in the via combusta placement ?

If you clicked on the link and looked was there anything i need to adjust in the settings ? Or are they all okay ?
 

Minderwiz

Ok thanks Minderwiz. So Mercury's average speed is at 1 degree a day, but wouldn't this make Mercury spend approx a month in each sign ?

Also as you mention regarding mercury being closely behind the sun at present, is this what's slowing mercury down then, especially as its in the via combusta placement ?

If you clicked on the link and looked was there anything i need to adjust in the settings ? Or are they all okay ?

Averages.can hide a wide distribution of values. Apart from the outers, Mercury is Retrograde more than any other planet and retrograde motion is negative. So to maintain an average motion of one degree over a year there have to be times when Mercury is moving forward much faster than one degree per day. Some signs will be transited in much less than a month, other signs where there is Retrograde motion will take much longer.

Mercury is currently fast, not slow. Mercury is fast when it is near the Sun, either Direct or Retrograde and slower as it reaches its maximum elongation, either in front or behind the Sun. It then appears to Station and then change direction, gradually picking up speed as it moves towards the Sun.

Being in the Via Combusta makes no difference to Mercury's speed of itself. What matters is its position relative to the Sun