When Was Mars Last in Cancer?
Updated October 5, 2026
As of October 2026, the last time was 2026: Mars was in Cancer from 11 August 2026 to 28 September 2026. Next: Mars enters Cancer on 20 July 2028 and stays until 4 September 2028.
Each bar runs from first entry to final exit. Stretches marked with a neighbouring sign are times it crossed back over the boundary before returning.
Mars in Cancer, 2001–2051
Dates are in UTC and the Gregorian calendar; in a time zone far from Greenwich an ingress can fall on the neighbouring calendar day.
| First entry | Final exit | Time in Cancer | Entered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 May 2002 | 13 July 2002 | 6.6 weeks | once |
| 7 May 2004 | 23 June 2004 | 6.8 weeks | once |
| 14 April 2006 | 3 June 2006 | 7.2 weeks | once |
| 28 September 2007 | 9 May 2008 | 5.3 months | 2 times |
| In Cancer: 28 Sept 2007 – 31 Dec 2007 · 4 Mar 2008 – 9 May 2008 | |||
| 25 August 2009 | 16 October 2009 | 7.4 weeks | once |
| 3 August 2011 | 19 September 2011 | 6.7 weeks | once |
| 13 July 2013 | 28 August 2013 | 6.5 weeks | once |
| 24 June 2015 | 8 August 2015 | 6.5 weeks | once |
| 4 June 2017 | 20 July 2017 | 6.5 weeks | once |
| 16 May 2019 | 1 July 2019 | 6.7 weeks | once |
| 23 April 2021 | 11 June 2021 | 7.0 weeks | once |
| 25 March 2023 | 20 May 2023 | 8.0 weeks | once |
| 4 September 2024 | 18 April 2025 | 5.3 months | 2 times |
| In Cancer: 4 Sept 2024 – 4 Nov 2024 · 6 Jan 2025 – 18 Apr 2025 | |||
| 11 August 2026 | 28 September 2026 | 6.8 weeks | once |
| 20 July 2028 | 4 September 2028 | 6.5 weeks | once |
| 1 July 2030 | 15 August 2030 | 6.5 weeks | once |
| 11 June 2032 | 27 July 2032 | 6.5 weeks | once |
| 23 May 2034 | 8 July 2034 | 6.6 weeks | once |
| 2 May 2036 | 18 June 2036 | 6.9 weeks | once |
| 7 April 2038 | 29 May 2038 | 7.5 weeks | once |
| 18 September 2039 | 2 May 2040 | 7.5 months | once |
| 19 August 2041 | 8 October 2041 | 7.1 weeks | once |
| 29 July 2043 | 13 September 2043 | 6.6 weeks | once |
| 8 July 2045 | 23 August 2045 | 6.5 weeks | once |
| 19 June 2047 | 4 August 2047 | 6.5 weeks | once |
| 30 May 2049 | 15 July 2049 | 6.6 weeks | once |
| 11 May 2051 | 27 June 2051 | 6.7 weeks | once |
Search Mars in Cancer in the app
Mars retrograde in Cancer, 2001–2051
Retrograde periods with at least one station in Cancer: the date Mars stood still and turned retrograde, and the date it turned direct again.
| Stations retrograde | Stations direct |
|---|---|
| 15 November 2007 12°27′ Cancer | 30 January 2008 24°04′ Gemini |
| 6 December 2024 6°10′ Leo | 24 February 2025 17°00′ Cancer |
| 23 November 2039 21°45′ Cancer | 9 February 2040 3°01′ Cancer |
How Mars moves through the zodiac
Across 1950–2075, Mars spent about 5.4 weeks to 7.1 months in a sign on each pass, not counting retrograde dips out of it, and it returned to the same sign about every 23 months. 8% of passes included at least one retrograde dip back over a sign boundary.
Mars in other signs
Aries · Taurus · Gemini · Cancer · Leo · Virgo · Libra · Scorpio · Sagittarius · Capricorn · Aquarius · Pisces
Other planets in Cancer
Venus · Mars · Jupiter · Saturn · Chiron · Uranus · Neptune · Pluto
All planets in all signs · How to read these dates
How these dates were found
With Horoskopos's sky search: Mars's geocentric, apparent, tropical ecliptic longitude, computed with the open-source Astronomy Engine library, with each sign boundary found to the minute. Sample ingresses agree with NASA JPL's Horizons ephemeris to within half an hour. Data generated 2026-10-04; page built 2026-10-05.