Retrogrades › Mercury › 1968
New to shadow dates? Read how Mercury’s pre-shadow and post-shadow are calculated.
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1968: Feb 6 – Feb 28 in Pisces and Aquarius; Jun 6 – Jun 30 in Cancer and Gemini; Oct 3 – Oct 24 in Scorpio and Libra.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 22, 1968 | Feb 6, 1968, 11:37 AM ET | Feb 28, 1968, 3:38 AM ET | Mar 19, 1968 | 2°17′ ♓︎ Pisces → ♒︎ Aquarius 17°06′ |
| May 21, 1968 | Jun 6, 1968, 1:15 AM ET | Jun 30, 1968, 2:12 AM ET | Jul 14, 1968 | 2°01′ ♋︎ Cancer → ♊︎ Gemini 23°15′ |
| Sep 12, 1968 | Oct 3, 1968, 7:41 AM ET | Oct 24, 1968, 10:16 AM ET | Nov 9, 1968 | 1°15′ ♏︎ Scorpio → ♎︎ Libra 15°42′ |
Feb 6, 1968 – Feb 28, 1968 · 22 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 2°17′ Pisces on Feb 6, 1968, 11:37 AM ET (1968-02-06 16:37 UTC) and direct at 17°06′ Aquarius on Feb 28, 1968, 3:38 AM ET (1968-02-28 08:38 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to intuition, dreams and endings, then friends, groups and future goals.
Shadow: Jan 22, 1968 – Mar 19, 1968.
Jun 6, 1968 – Jun 30, 1968 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 2°01′ Cancer on Jun 6, 1968, 1:15 AM ET (1968-06-06 05:15 UTC) and direct at 23°15′ Gemini on Jun 30, 1968, 2:12 AM ET (1968-06-30 06:12 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to home, family and old memories, then everyday communication, siblings and short trips.
Shadow: May 21, 1968 – Jul 14, 1968.
Oct 3, 1968 – Oct 24, 1968 · 21 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 1°15′ Scorpio on Oct 3, 1968, 7:41 AM ET (1968-10-03 11:41 UTC) and direct at 15°42′ Libra on Oct 24, 1968, 10:16 AM ET (1968-10-24 14:16 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to shared money, secrets and emotional depth, then partnerships, agreements and fairness.
Shadow: Sep 12, 1968 – Nov 9, 1968.
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: Jupiter retrograde 1968 · Saturn retrograde 1968 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1968: Feb 6 – Feb 28 in Pisces and Aquarius; Jun 6 – Jun 30 in Cancer and Gemini; Oct 3 – Oct 24 in Scorpio and Libra.
About 67 days in total during 1968; 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.