When a planet temporarily moves westward in the sky over the course of several weeks or months (instead of eastward, as it typically does), we call it:

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The temporary westward motion of a planet in the sky is called retrograde motion. It occurs when Earth passes a slower-moving outer planet in its orbit, causing it to appear as if it is moving backwards in its orbit relative to the stars.

When a Planet Temporarily Moves Westward in the Sky Over