Retrogrades › Mercury › 1969
New to shadow dates? Read how Mercury’s pre-shadow and post-shadow are calculated.
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1969: Jan 20 – Feb 10 in Aquarius; May 17 – Jun 10 in Gemini; Sep 16 – Oct 8 in Libra and Virgo.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 4, 1969 | Jan 20, 1969, 5:56 AM ET | Feb 10, 1969, 4:39 AM ET | Mar 2, 1969 | 16°03′ ♒︎ Aquarius 0°15′ |
| May 3, 1969 | May 17, 1969, 3:07 PM ET | Jun 10, 1969, 11:47 AM ET | Jun 25, 1969 | 12°01′ ♊︎ Gemini 3°26′ |
| Aug 26, 1969 | Sep 16, 1969, 8:38 AM ET | Oct 8, 1969, 5:57 AM ET | Oct 23, 1969 | 14°52′ ♎︎ Libra → ♍︎ Virgo 29°51′ |
Jan 20, 1969 – Feb 10, 1969 · 21 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 16°03′ Aquarius on Jan 20, 1969, 5:56 AM ET (1969-01-20 10:56 UTC) and direct at 0°15′ Aquarius on Feb 10, 1969, 4:39 AM ET (1969-02-10 09:39 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to friends, groups and future goals.
Shadow: Jan 4, 1969 – Mar 2, 1969.
May 17, 1969 – Jun 10, 1969 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 12°01′ Gemini on May 17, 1969, 3:07 PM ET (1969-05-17 19:07 UTC) and direct at 3°26′ Gemini on Jun 10, 1969, 11:47 AM ET (1969-06-10 15:47 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to everyday communication, siblings and short trips.
Shadow: May 3, 1969 – Jun 25, 1969.
Sep 16, 1969 – Oct 8, 1969 · 22 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 14°52′ Libra on Sep 16, 1969, 8:38 AM ET (1969-09-16 12:38 UTC) and direct at 29°51′ Virgo on Oct 8, 1969, 5:57 AM ET (1969-10-08 09:57 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to partnerships, agreements and fairness, then work routines, health and details.
Shadow: Aug 26, 1969 – Oct 23, 1969.
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 1969 · Mars retrograde 1969 · Jupiter retrograde 1969 · Saturn retrograde 1969 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1969: Jan 20 – Feb 10 in Aquarius; May 17 – Jun 10 in Gemini; Sep 16 – Oct 8 in Libra and Virgo.
About 67 days in total during 1969; 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.