Retrogrades › Mercury › 1972
New to shadow dates? Read how Mercury’s pre-shadow and post-shadow are calculated.
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1972: Mar 21 – Apr 13 in Aries; Jul 24 – Aug 17 in Leo; Nov 15 – Dec 5 in Sagittarius and Scorpio.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 7, 1972 | Mar 21, 1972, 1:43 PM ET | Apr 13, 1972, 10:28 PM ET | May 2, 1972 | 15°51′ ♈︎ Aries 3°41′ |
| Jul 6, 1972 | Jul 24, 1972, 7:00 PM ET | Aug 17, 1972, 6:38 PM ET | Aug 31, 1972 | 22°21′ ♌︎ Leo 10°27′ |
| Oct 27, 1972 | Nov 15, 1972, 3:23 PM ET | Dec 5, 1972, 11:23 AM ET | Dec 23, 1972 | 12°27′ ♐︎ Sagittarius → ♏︎ Scorpio 26°14′ |
Mar 21, 1972 – Apr 13, 1972 · 23 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 15°51′ Aries on Mar 21, 1972, 1:43 PM ET (1972-03-21 18:43 UTC) and direct at 3°41′ Aries on Apr 13, 1972, 10:28 PM ET (1972-04-14 03:28 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to impulsive decisions, independence and new starts.
Shadow: Mar 7, 1972 – May 2, 1972.
Jul 24, 1972 – Aug 17, 1972 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 22°21′ Leo on Jul 24, 1972, 7:00 PM ET (1972-07-24 23:00 UTC) and direct at 10°27′ Leo on Aug 17, 1972, 6:38 PM ET (1972-08-17 22:38 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to creativity, romance and self-expression.
Shadow: Jul 6, 1972 – Aug 31, 1972.
Nov 15, 1972 – Dec 5, 1972 · 20 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 12°27′ Sagittarius on Nov 15, 1972, 3:23 PM ET (1972-11-15 20:23 UTC) and direct at 26°14′ Scorpio on Dec 5, 1972, 11:23 AM ET (1972-12-05 16:23 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to travel, education and beliefs, then shared money, secrets and emotional depth.
Shadow: Oct 27, 1972 – Dec 23, 1972.
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 1972 · Jupiter retrograde 1972 · Saturn retrograde 1972 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1972: Mar 21 – Apr 13 in Aries; Jul 24 – Aug 17 in Leo; Nov 15 – Dec 5 in Sagittarius and Scorpio.
About 67 days in total during 1972; each retrograde lasts 23 days, 24 days and 20 days. Including the pre- and post-shadow, each cycle spans roughly 56 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.