Does this apply to a daily commute?

No. The classical rules are for journeys that begin something: a trip, a move, a voyage. The commute is routine.

Should I avoid flying during Mercury retrograde?

Mercury retrograde is about plans, tickets and messages going astray, not about the plane. Book carefully, keep copies, and expect a change of plan.

How far ahead does the list for travelling go?

Two weeks. The list is recomputed every hour from the real sky, so it is always the next two weeks from now. Bookmark the page.

What if there is no clear window?

Sometimes the sky is busy for a stretch and the next two weeks have none. Then the window checker will show you the least bad part of a day, and the answer is to go with your eyes open or wait.

What time zone are these in?

Central time first, with UTC under it. The embedded checker on this page shows every window in your own time.

Best days to

Best days to travel

Setting out: the flight, the drive, the move, the trip that starts today. The classical texts care most about the moment of departure. The checker below is set to travelling; pick a day and it judges each part of it, with the rule and its source.

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Computed hourly

The next clear windows for travelling

Right now the Moon is in Aquarius, first quarter. Venus and Saturn are retrograde.Computed Oct 19, 07:58 UTC. The tool shows your own time.

Wed, Oct 21, 8:58 am Central to Wed, Oct 21, 11:58 am CentralOct 21, 13:58 UTC to Oct 21, 16:58 UTC
Sat, Oct 24, 5:58 pm Central to Sun, Oct 25, 8:58 am CentralOct 24, 22:58 UTC to Oct 25, 13:58 UTC
Thu, Oct 29, 2:58 am Central to Thu, Oct 29, 5:58 pm CentralOct 29, 07:58 UTC to Oct 29, 22:58 UTC

The general sky, in Central time and UTC. Add your rising sign in the checker and it reads against your chart, in your own time.

What the sky weighs

The rules for this

The old rule for journeys is to avoid setting out on a void-of-course Moon, and the engine checks that first. It favours the Moon in a cardinal sign (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn, the signs of movement), Mars's day Tuesday for a journey of effort, and the Moon applying to a benefic.

Against it: the Moon applying to Mars or Saturn by a hard aspect (delays, accidents in the old lists), Mars retrograde, and Mercury retrograde for the tickets and the plans.

If the departure is fixed, let the void Moon pass before you leave the house, even by an hour.

Every rule that can fire, with its source

-3 The Moon makes no more contacts before leaving its sign. Matters started now tend to drift — nothing comes of them.William Lilly, Christian Astrology (1647); concept from Sahl ibn Bishr, On Elections, trans. Benjamin Dykes (2008)
+1 Moon in a cardinal sign: fast starts, quick results, short shelf-life. Right for initiative, wrong for forever.Dorotheus of Sidon, Carmen Astrologicum Book V, trans. Benjamin Dykes (2017)
+2 The Moon's next contact is a friendly one to a benefic — the matter lands softly.Sahl ibn Bishr, On Elections, trans. Benjamin Dykes (2008)
-2 The Moon's next contact is a hard one to a malefic — friction arrives before the finish line.Sahl ibn Bishr, On Elections, trans. Benjamin Dykes (2008)
-1 Mars retrograde: applied force backfires more easily. Favor strategy over push.Hephaistio of Thebes, Apotelesmatics Book III, trans. Benjamin Dykes (2013)
+1 Today's planetary ruler favors this kind of action (Sun-Sunday: visibility; Moon-Monday: home and gathering; Mars-Tuesday: contest and effort; Mercury-Wednesday: contracts and messages; Jupiter-Thursday: growth and asking; Venus-Friday: partnership; Saturn-Saturday: endings and structure).Picatrix (Ghayat al-Hakim) Book I, trans. Dan Attrell & David Porreca (2019)

For a business

How owners use it

The sales trip, the conference, the site visit, the move to new premises. Set out in a clear window and book the rest of the trip when Mercury is direct.

Rhythm for Business plans the quarter around these windows: the new moon as the start of a cycle, the full moon as its review, and the clear windows for the decisions that matter. Open Rhythm for Business.