Retrogrades Revisited

...it's a misnomer that it's "the study of the STARS," which is what the word means. Historically, planets visible to the naked eye without a telescope were called wandering stars.

So it's more like the study of gravitational influences of different bodies within our solar system. 

I've written about Retrogrades previously. Astrology is a geocentric map. Earth is in the middle and the points of interest are mapped based on how they appear from earth.

Retrograde means it is "moving backwards." It does "move backwards" in the astrological chart, going back to earlier mathematical points in the chart -- 9 degrees of this sign instead of 11 degrees, for example -- but no planet physically travels backwards.

It is sort of an optical illusion based on its relationship to Earth in a geocentric map of important gravitational points within our solar system. 

All sources agree that Retrograde planets influence us differently than planets moving Direct (forward or normally). Many try to paint that as a negative influence. 

I view it more neutrally. Mercury Retrograde may suggest "more changes coming" for a purchasing decision made under this influence but that doesn't necessarily mean it's because you will buy a defective product. 

Anyway, if you view Retrogrades as indicative of a gravitational impact due to changing relative positions, perhaps this is a point NASA should actually care about and study.

Like the wakes of different ships interacting with the potential to cause a wreck.

Because as my son explained Einstein's theory of relativity to me, gravity is a property of space. So the gravity of a planet is sort of like a ship traveling on a giant ocean leaving ripples.