All About Saturn Return and How to Navigate Yours, According to an Astrologer

Saturn Return has been a major topic of discussion within the music industry lately — but what exactly is it? 

Marking the time at which the planet Saturn returns to the exact place it was at the time of your birth, the astrological event occurs every 27 to 29 years. 

As it usually falls right before a person’s 30th, 50th and 80th birthday, this time in a person’s life can often feel pretty chaotic — but rest assured, it also comes with major growth and maturity. 

To learn more about the astrological transit mentioned in songs such as Kacey Musgraves’ “Deeper Well” and Ariana Grande’s “Saturn Returns Interlude," PEOPLE spoke with astrologer and bestselling author Lisa Stardust to get their insight. 

From how to determine your Saturn Return to how it will affect your life, here’s everything to know. 

What is Saturn Return?

Per Stardust, a Saturn Return occurs when the planet Saturn returns “to the place by degree and sign it was at the time of your birth.” The sixth planet from the Sun, Saturn is often dubbed the “Lord of Karma.” 

“They call Saturn the taskmaster because it's about responsibility, authority, discipline, self-control,” Stardust says of the planet’s astrological significance. “Sometimes we fear doing the things that are best for us just because we have to step outside what we're used to doing.” 

When should you expect your Saturn Return? 

A Saturn Return occurs every 27 to 29-and-a-half years, when the planet Saturn aligns with the position of Saturn in your birth chart, which is determined by the date, time, and location of your birth. 

You can use apps like Co – Star and TimePassages to figure out your birth chart, while sites like Astro-seek.com have Saturn Return calculators to determine your exact Saturn Return. 

By rule of thumb, if you’re approaching your late 20s, you’re likely experiencing your first one. 

What happens during your Saturn Return?

For those experiencing their first Saturn Return, this will likely be a major time of growth as you eliminate obstacles in your way from completing your goals. 

“Because Saturn is such a karmic planet that asks us to put the work in to reap the rewards, it's really important that we learn how to adult ourselves during our first Saturn return,” Stardust notes. “So we're going to be getting rid of people who aren't beneficial to us, like our friends that are toxic. We're also learning that we can't party every night until three in the morning and roll up into work all messy. We have to really put effort into our careers. We have to focus on things that we want to achieve.” 

“The first Saturn Return is really an entrance into adulthood,” Stardust emphasizes. “And Saturn is a planet that will check in every several years to make sure that we're doing the work. So it's important to note that we are going to always have this planet, [which] is a rite of passage in many ways, to make sure that we are on the right track.” 

Who just had a Saturn Return?

People with Saturn in Aquarius in their birth chart recently experienced a Saturn Return from 2020 to March 7, 2023. If you were born between Feb. 6, 1991 and May 20, 1993 or between June 29, 1993 and Jan. 28, 1994, you just went through your first Saturn Return. 

Meanwhile, those born between Jan. 3, 1962 and March 23, 1964, as well as Sept. 16, 1964 and Dec. 15, 1964 experienced their second Saturn Return. 

Additionally, people born in the early 1930s, just experienced their third.

Who is currently in their Saturn Return?

Beginning on March 7, 2023, Saturn entered Pisces and it will stay there until Feb. 13, 2026, thanks to a little bit of retrograde magic. As Stardust points out, Saturn will be in Pisces until May 24, 2025, but because Saturn retrogrades like Mercury, “it will go into Aries from May to August, and then it will retrograde back into Pisces from Aug. 31, 2025, to Feb. 13, 2026.” 

Saturn Return will occur for the first time for people born between May 1, 1993, and June 30, 1993, along with Jan. 28, 1994, and April 7, 1996. 

A second Saturn Return will occur for people born between March 23, 1964, and Sept. 16, 1964, as well as Dec. 16, 1964, and March 3, 1967. 

Finally, people born between 1935 and 1938 will experience their third Saturn Return. 

Who has a Saturn Return next? 

When Saturn is done with Pisces, it will shift into Aries. Those born between April 7, 1996, and June 9, 1998, along with Oct. 25, 1998, and Feb. 28, 1999, will go through their first Saturn Return during this time. 

For ‘60s kids born between March 3, 1967 and April 29, 1969, they will experience their second Saturn Return. 

Meanwhile, a third Saturn Return will occur for people born in the late 1930s and the first few months of 1940. 

How is a person's second and third Saturn Return different?

While Stardust describes a person’s first Saturn Return as “an entrance into adulthood,” a person’s second and third Saturn Return slightly differ. 

Occurring during a person’s mid-40s, Stardust says the second Saturn Return marks “the second phase of our life” when people usually start planning for retirement. “Now that we’ve done the work, because Saturn wants us to work hard, we put the energy into our careers, where do we see ourselves retiring? How do we want to live our twilight years?” Stardust says of this particular time. 

“You see a lot of people doing planning for their retirement during their second Saturn return,” they add. “A lot of people are also questioning if they want to even continue working at the same company or if they want to start a whole new venture because people are retiring later in life now.” 

The third Saturn Return, which usually occurs in your 80s, is “a time of reflection and contemplation,” Stardust explains. “You're looking back in your life and you're making sure that you've accomplished everything on your bucket list. You're also surrounded by friends and family that you love, and you are trying to live the rest of your life with no regrets.”