Retrogrades › Mercury › 1961
New to shadow dates? Read how Mercury’s pre-shadow and post-shadow are calculated.
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1961: Feb 12 – Mar 6 in Pisces and Aquarius; Jun 14 – Jul 8 in Cancer; Oct 10 – Oct 31 in Scorpio and Libra.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 28, 1961 | Feb 12, 1961, 6:29 PM ET | Mar 6, 1961, 6:15 PM ET | Mar 26, 1961 | 9°11′ ♓︎ Pisces → ♒︎ Aquarius 24°20′ |
| May 29, 1961 | Jun 14, 1961, 1:13 PM ET | Jul 8, 1961, 3:30 PM ET | Jul 23, 1961 | 10°27′ ♋︎ Cancer 1°21′ |
| Sep 20, 1961 | Oct 10, 1961, 6:43 PM ET | Oct 31, 1961, 12:58 PM ET | Nov 16, 1961 | 8°02′ ♏︎ Scorpio → ♎︎ Libra 22°19′ |
Feb 12, 1961 – Mar 6, 1961 · 22 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 9°11′ Pisces on Feb 12, 1961, 6:29 PM ET (1961-02-12 23:29 UTC) and direct at 24°20′ Aquarius on Mar 6, 1961, 6:15 PM ET (1961-03-06 23:15 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to intuition, dreams and endings, then friends, groups and future goals.
Shadow: Jan 28, 1961 – Mar 26, 1961.
Jun 14, 1961 – Jul 8, 1961 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 10°27′ Cancer on Jun 14, 1961, 1:13 PM ET (1961-06-14 17:13 UTC) and direct at 1°21′ Cancer on Jul 8, 1961, 3:30 PM ET (1961-07-08 19:30 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to home, family and old memories.
Shadow: May 29, 1961 – Jul 23, 1961.
Oct 10, 1961 – Oct 31, 1961 · 21 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 8°02′ Scorpio on Oct 10, 1961, 6:43 PM ET (1961-10-10 22:43 UTC) and direct at 22°19′ Libra on Oct 31, 1961, 12:58 PM ET (1961-10-31 17:58 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to shared money, secrets and emotional depth, then partnerships, agreements and fairness.
Shadow: Sep 20, 1961 – Nov 16, 1961.
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 1961 · Mars retrograde 1961 · Jupiter retrograde 1961 · Saturn retrograde 1961 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1961: Feb 12 – Mar 6 in Pisces and Aquarius; Jun 14 – Jul 8 in Cancer; Oct 10 – Oct 31 in Scorpio and Libra.
About 67 days in total during 1961; each retrograde lasts 22 days, 24 days and 21 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.