How long does Jupiter take to go through the zodiac?

About 11.9 years (4,333 days) for one full circuit as seen from Earth. That is the synodic figure this site computes ephemeris positions against, not a sidereal orbital period, and it is what determines how long Jupiter stays in one sign: roughly one twelfth of the cycle, stretched or compressed by retrograde motion and by the eccentricity of the orbit.

Which signs does Jupiter rule?

Jupiter rules Sagittarius and Pisces. It is exalted in Cancer. It is in fall in Capricorn. It is in detriment in Gemini and Virgo. Rulership is a fixed correspondence, so it holds in every chart; what changes chart to chart is whether Jupiter actually occupies one of those signs.

Is Jupiter a personal planet?

Jupiter is classified here as a social. Social planets move slowly enough that everyone born within a year or two shares the placement, so they describe a cohort more than a person.

How often is Jupiter retrograde?

Jupiter turns retrograde roughly every 399 days. Retrograde motion is apparent, not real: the planet keeps moving forward, but seen from a moving Earth its longitude decreases for a stretch. Because the effect depends on the geometry between two orbits, the interval and the duration both vary between cycles, so a stated average will not match any single retrograde exactly. Live station dates are computed rather than tabulated on this site.

Jupiter

social · cycle 4,332.59 days · retrograde every 399 days

Dignities

Rules: ♐ Sagittarius
♓ Pisces
Exaltation: ♋ Cancer
Fall: ♑ Capricorn
Detriment: ♊ Gemini
♍ Virgo

Hellenistic tradition

Jupiter rules Sagittarius (diurnal) and Pisces (nocturnal). Exalted in Cancer, fall in Capricorn.

Modern Western reading

Modern Western astrology reads Jupiter as expansion, meaning, and the principle of greater scope.

Questions

How long does Jupiter take to go through the zodiac?: About 11.9 years (4,333 days) for one full circuit as seen from Earth. That is the synodic figure this site computes ephemeris positions against, not a sidereal orbital period, and it is what determines how long Jupiter stays in one sign: roughly one twelfth of the cycle, stretched or compressed by retrograde motion and by the eccentricity of the orbit.
Which signs does Jupiter rule?: Jupiter rules Sagittarius and Pisces. It is exalted in Cancer. It is in fall in Capricorn. It is in detriment in Gemini and Virgo. Rulership is a fixed correspondence, so it holds in every chart; what changes chart to chart is whether Jupiter actually occupies one of those signs.
Is Jupiter a personal planet?: Jupiter is classified here as a social. Social planets move slowly enough that everyone born within a year or two shares the placement, so they describe a cohort more than a person.
How often is Jupiter retrograde?: Jupiter turns retrograde roughly every 399 days. Retrograde motion is apparent, not real: the planet keeps moving forward, but seen from a moving Earth its longitude decreases for a stretch. Because the effect depends on the geometry between two orbits, the interval and the duration both vary between cycles, so a stated average will not match any single retrograde exactly. Live station dates are computed rather than tabulated on this site.

Reference, not advice

This is cultural and astronomical reference, not personal prediction or advice.

Cycle periods are mean orbital values. Traditional interpretations paraphrased from primary classical and modern sources. See sources.

Sources

Last reviewed 2026-05-28.