Retrogrades › Mercury › 1956
New to shadow dates? Read how Mercury’s pre-shadow and post-shadow are calculated.
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1956: Jan 18 – Feb 8 in Aquarius and Capricorn; May 14 – Jun 7 in Gemini; Sep 13 – Oct 5 in Libra and Virgo.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2, 1956 | Jan 18, 1956, 10:50 AM ET | Feb 8, 1956, 7:09 AM ET | Feb 28, 1956 | 13°27′ ♒︎ Aquarius → ♑︎ Capricorn 27°35′ |
| Apr 29, 1956 | May 14, 1956, 8:13 AM ET | Jun 7, 1956, 4:28 AM ET | Jun 22, 1956 | 8°53′ ♊︎ Gemini 0°14′ |
| Aug 24, 1956 | Sep 13, 1956, 10:02 AM ET | Oct 5, 1956, 10:22 AM ET | Oct 20, 1956 | 12°11′ ♎︎ Libra → ♍︎ Virgo 27°16′ |
Jan 18, 1956 – Feb 8, 1956 · 21 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 13°27′ Aquarius on Jan 18, 1956, 10:50 AM ET (1956-01-18 15:50 UTC) and direct at 27°35′ Capricorn on Feb 8, 1956, 7:09 AM ET (1956-02-08 12:09 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to friends, groups and future goals, then career, authority and long-term plans.
Shadow: Jan 2, 1956 – Feb 28, 1956.
May 14, 1956 – Jun 7, 1956 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 8°53′ Gemini on May 14, 1956, 8:13 AM ET (1956-05-14 12:13 UTC) and direct at 0°14′ Gemini on Jun 7, 1956, 4:28 AM ET (1956-06-07 08:28 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to everyday communication, siblings and short trips.
Shadow: Apr 29, 1956 – Jun 22, 1956.
Sep 13, 1956 – Oct 5, 1956 · 22 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 12°11′ Libra on Sep 13, 1956, 10:02 AM ET (1956-09-13 14:02 UTC) and direct at 27°16′ Virgo on Oct 5, 1956, 10:22 AM ET (1956-10-05 14:22 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to partnerships, agreements and fairness, then work routines, health and details.
Shadow: Aug 24, 1956 – Oct 20, 1956.
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 1956 · Mars retrograde 1956 · Jupiter retrograde 1956 · Saturn retrograde 1956 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1956: Jan 18 – Feb 8 in Aquarius and Capricorn; May 14 – Jun 7 in Gemini; Sep 13 – Oct 5 in Libra and Virgo.
About 67 days in total during 1956; each retrograde lasts 21 days, 24 days and 22 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.