Vakra Gati - Retrograde movement of inferior planets (Budha and Shukra)

Описание: This video illustrates the retrograde movement of the inferior planets.

Most of the time, all the planets move in the same direction as the Sun and the Moon, but sometimes the planets appear to move in a direction opposite to the movement of the Sun and the Moon. Such movement is called retrograde movement; in Sanskrit it is called Vakra Gati.

In the case of the inferior planets Budha and Shukra (i.e. the planets that are between the Sun and the Earth), the reason for this phenomena is the fact that these planets orbit the Sun which in turn orbits the Earth (in a geocentric model). Such a double orbit it called epicyclic motion. This video illustrates such epicyclic motion visually and thus helps understand why retrograde movement happens.

The superior planets Mangala, Guru and Shani too retrograde but the mechanics of that retrogression is quite different and hence is NOT illustrated in this video.

The Moon does not retrograde at all since it indeed orbits the Earth and not the Sun.

Finally, Rahu and Ketu are in perennial retrogression, i.e. they orbit in a direction opposite to that of all the other planets and never change direction.