What is Sade Sati?
Sade Sati is the traditional Vedic name for the period when Saturn transits the sign before your birth Moon sign, your birth Moon sign itself, and then the sign after it. Because Saturn spends roughly two and a half years in each sign, one full cycle lasts about seven and a half years. It is assessed from the Moon sign because the Moon governs the mind, emotions and overall vitality in a birth chart.
The three phases of the cycle
The rising phase begins when Saturn enters the 12th sign from the Moon and is traditionally associated with mental strain, sleep disturbance and expenses. The peak phase runs while Saturn transits the birth Moon sign, and is the most widely felt part of the cycle. The setting phase takes place in the 2nd sign from the Moon and is usually associated with family, speech and financial matters. Together the three phases make up the full Sade Sati period.
How the dates on this page are calculated
Every date shown here comes from an astronomical ephemeris: the exact instant Saturn crosses a sign boundary, turns retrograde, turns direct, or is lost in the Sun glare of combustion. Dates are published in UTC and converted to your selected city for display. A year view includes every sign Saturn occupies at any point during that year, including a sign that began in a previous year and continues, and a sign that begins late in the year and runs into the next.
Retrograde motion and combustion
Saturn frequently appears to reverse direction for several months before moving on. During a retrograde dip it can briefly step back into the previous sign, which is why a single sign period can be listed more than once. Saturn is also combust near the Sun, roughly once a year, and astrologically traditional texts treat a combust Saturn as weakened. Both the station dates and the combustion windows are listed on this page.
How to read Sade Sati in your own chart
Transit dates alone do not describe an individual experience. The natal Saturn placement, the sign and strength of the Moon, the running Dasha and Bhukti, and the houses involved all change how the same transit is experienced. Read these dates as a calendar of when Saturn is where, then use your full birth chart to interpret what it touches.
Using transit dates responsibly
Astrology transit information is intended for reflection, planning and spiritual guidance. It is not a medical diagnosis, a financial guarantee or a legal prediction, and it should never replace qualified professional advice for health, money or legal matters.
Frequently asked questions
When does Sade Sati start and end for me?
Sade Sati is calculated from your birth Moon sign. Find your Moon sign in the Planets360 Kundli report, then look at the three signs that make up your cycle — the 12th from the Moon, the Moon sign itself, and the 2nd from the Moon. The exact start and end dates are the dates Saturn enters and leaves each of those three signs, which this page lists year by year from the ephemeris.
How long does Sade Sati last?
One full Sade Sati cycle lasts about seven and a half years, made of three phases of roughly two and a half years each. Saturn moves a little faster or slower depending on its retrograde pattern, so the real duration of each phase varies and is best read from the exact transit dates rather than estimated.
Which Sade Sati phase is the most difficult?
The peak phase, when Saturn transits the birth Moon sign itself, is traditionally considered the most intense part of the cycle. The rising phase before it often brings mental strain and expense, and the setting phase after it deals with family, speech and finances. Individual experience depends on the full chart.
Does Saturn going retrograde restart Sade Sati?
No. A retrograde motion does not restart the Sade Sati period. During a retrograde dip Saturn can briefly step back into the previous sign, which is why the same sign may appear twice in a year, but the overall cycle still progresses through the rising, peak and setting phases once.
What does it mean when Saturn is combust?
Saturn is combust when it is too close to the Sun in the sky to be seen. Traditional astrology treats a combust Saturn as weakened and unable to express its significations clearly, so the effects attributed to Saturn may be felt less obviously rather than absent. The combustion windows for each year are listed on this page.
Are these Saturn dates the same for every city?
Yes. Saturn moves so slowly that the instant it changes sign is effectively the same everywhere on Earth. The dates are calculated once in UTC, and this page converts them to your selected city for display. Changing your location changes the clock time shown, not the underlying dates, so no new calculation is needed.
Can I find my exact Sade Sati dates in a free report?
Yes. Generate your free Planets360 Kundli with your birth date, time and place. The Saturn Affliction section of the report lists every Sade Sati phase with clear From and To dates, along with related Saturn transit periods in the fourth and eighth houses.