Retrogrades › Mercury › 1950
New to shadow dates? Read how Mercury’s pre-shadow and post-shadow are calculated.
Mercury is retrograde four times in 1950: Jan 8 – Jan 29 in Aquarius and Capricorn; May 3 – May 27 in Taurus; Sep 3 – Sep 26 in Libra and Virgo; Dec 23 – Jan 12 in Capricorn.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 23, 1949 | Jan 8, 1950, 11:53 AM ET | Jan 29, 1950, 12:01 AM ET | Feb 17, 1950 | 4°07′ ♒︎ Aquarius → ♑︎ Capricorn 18°03′ |
| Apr 19, 1950 | May 3, 1950, 12:11 PM ET | May 27, 1950, 8:24 AM ET | Jun 12, 1950 | 27°31′ ♉︎ Taurus 18°30′ |
| Aug 14, 1950 | Sep 3, 1950, 8:09 PM ET | Sep 26, 1950, 7:00 AM ET | Oct 10, 1950 | 2°25′ ♎︎ Libra → ♍︎ Virgo 17°57′ |
| Dec 6, 1950 | Dec 23, 1950, 9:46 AM ET | Jan 12, 1951, 10:33 AM ET | Jan 31, 1951 | 18°11′ ♑︎ Capricorn 1°55′ |
Jan 8, 1950 – Jan 29, 1950 · 21 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 4°07′ Aquarius on Jan 8, 1950, 11:53 AM ET (1950-01-08 16:53 UTC) and direct at 18°03′ Capricorn on Jan 29, 1950, 12:01 AM ET (1950-01-29 05:01 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to friends, groups and future goals, then career, authority and long-term plans.
Shadow: Dec 23, 1949 – Feb 17, 1950.
May 3, 1950 – May 27, 1950 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 27°31′ Taurus on May 3, 1950, 12:11 PM ET (1950-05-03 16:11 UTC) and direct at 18°30′ Taurus on May 27, 1950, 8:24 AM ET (1950-05-27 12:24 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to money, possessions and comfort.
Shadow: Apr 19, 1950 – Jun 12, 1950.
Sep 3, 1950 – Sep 26, 1950 · 22 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 2°25′ Libra on Sep 3, 1950, 8:09 PM ET (1950-09-04 00:09 UTC) and direct at 17°57′ Virgo on Sep 26, 1950, 7:00 AM ET (1950-09-26 12:00 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to partnerships, agreements and fairness, then work routines, health and details.
Shadow: Aug 14, 1950 – Oct 10, 1950.
Dec 23, 1950 – Jan 12, 1951 · 20 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 18°11′ Capricorn on Dec 23, 1950, 9:46 AM ET (1950-12-23 14:46 UTC) and direct at 1°55′ Capricorn on Jan 12, 1951, 10:33 AM ET (1951-01-12 15:33 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to career, authority and long-term plans.
Shadow: Dec 6, 1950 – Jan 31, 1951.
Mercury rules communication, travel, technology and contracts. During its retrograde astrologers advise reviewing rather than launching: double-check messages and bookings, back up devices, and revisit old plans or conversations.
Retrograde motion is an optical effect: Earth and Mercury move at different speeds, so Mercury appears to drift backward against the stars for a while. Our dates are station times — when the apparent motion reverses — calculated with Astronomy Engine; see the methodology.
Same year: Venus retrograde 1950 · Mars retrograde 1950 · Jupiter retrograde 1950 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde four times in 1950: Jan 8 – Jan 29 in Aquarius and Capricorn; May 3 – May 27 in Taurus; Sep 3 – Sep 26 in Libra and Virgo; Dec 23 – Jan 12 in Capricorn.
About 75 days in total during 1950; each retrograde lasts 21 days, 24 days, 22 days and 20 days. Including the pre- and post-shadow, each cycle spans roughly 57 days.
The pre-shadow starts when Mercury first reaches the degree where it will turn direct; the post-shadow ends when it passes the degree where it turned retrograde. The dates are in the table above.
Astrology is a symbolic and cultural tradition. The planetary positions on this site are calculated with astronomical accuracy; the interpretations describe what astrologers associate with them and are not scientifically validated predictions about personality, relationships or the future.