Retrogrades › Mercury › 1951
New to shadow dates? Read how Mercury’s pre-shadow and post-shadow are calculated.
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1951: Apr 14 – May 8 in Taurus and Aries; Aug 17 – Sep 9 in Virgo; Dec 7 – Dec 27 in Capricorn and Sagittarius.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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′ |
| Mar 31, 1951 | Apr 14, 1951, 12:43 PM ET | May 8, 1951, 7:54 AM ET | May 25, 1951 | 8°33′ ♉︎ Taurus → ♈︎ Aries 28°21′ |
| Jul 28, 1951 | Aug 17, 1951, 10:07 AM ET | Sep 9, 1951, 4:20 PM ET | Sep 23, 1951 | 15°09′ ♍︎ Virgo 1°39′ |
| Nov 19, 1951 | Dec 7, 1951, 6:55 AM ET | Dec 27, 1951, 1:42 AM ET | Jan 14, 1952 | 2°20′ ♑︎ Capricorn → ♐︎ Sagittarius 16°01′ |
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.
Apr 14, 1951 – May 8, 1951 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 8°33′ Taurus on Apr 14, 1951, 12:43 PM ET (1951-04-14 17:43 UTC) and direct at 28°21′ Aries on May 8, 1951, 7:54 AM ET (1951-05-08 11:54 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to money, possessions and comfort, then impulsive decisions, independence and new starts.
Shadow: Mar 31, 1951 – May 25, 1951.
Aug 17, 1951 – Sep 9, 1951 · 23 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 15°09′ Virgo on Aug 17, 1951, 10:07 AM ET (1951-08-17 14:07 UTC) and direct at 1°39′ Virgo on Sep 9, 1951, 4:20 PM ET (1951-09-09 20:20 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to work routines, health and details.
Shadow: Jul 28, 1951 – Sep 23, 1951.
Dec 7, 1951 – Dec 27, 1951 · 20 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 2°20′ Capricorn on Dec 7, 1951, 6:55 AM ET (1951-12-07 11:55 UTC) and direct at 16°01′ Sagittarius on Dec 27, 1951, 1:42 AM ET (1951-12-27 06:42 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to career, authority and long-term plans, then travel, education and beliefs.
Shadow: Nov 19, 1951 – Jan 14, 1952.
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 1951 · Jupiter retrograde 1951 · Saturn retrograde 1951 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1951: Apr 14 – May 8 in Taurus and Aries; Aug 17 – Sep 9 in Virgo; Dec 7 – Dec 27 in Capricorn and Sagittarius. The year also opens with the retrograde that began on Dec 23, 1950, ending Jan 12, 1951.
About 78 days in total during 1951; each retrograde lasts 24 days, 23 days and 20 days. Including the pre- and post-shadow, each cycle spans roughly 55 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.