Retrogrades › Mercury › 1973
New to shadow dates? Read how Mercury’s pre-shadow and post-shadow are calculated.
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1973: Mar 4 – Mar 27 in Pisces; Jul 6 – Jul 30 in Leo and Cancer; Oct 30 – Nov 19 in Scorpio.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 18, 1973 | Mar 4, 1973, 7:57 AM ET | Mar 27, 1973, 3:16 AM ET | Apr 15, 1973 | 28°36′ ♓︎ Pisces 15°01′ |
| Jun 19, 1973 | Jul 6, 1973, 12:56 PM ET | Jul 30, 1973, 5:51 PM ET | Aug 13, 1973 | 3°21′ ♌︎ Leo → ♋︎ Cancer 22°52′ |
| Oct 10, 1973 | Oct 30, 1973, 5:30 AM ET | Nov 19, 1973, 9:12 AM ET | Dec 6, 1973 | 26°36′ ♏︎ Scorpio 10°33′ |
Mar 4, 1973 – Mar 27, 1973 · 23 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 28°36′ Pisces on Mar 4, 1973, 7:57 AM ET (1973-03-04 12:57 UTC) and direct at 15°01′ Pisces on Mar 27, 1973, 3:16 AM ET (1973-03-27 08:16 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to intuition, dreams and endings.
Shadow: Feb 18, 1973 – Apr 15, 1973.
Jul 6, 1973 – Jul 30, 1973 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 3°21′ Leo on Jul 6, 1973, 12:56 PM ET (1973-07-06 16:56 UTC) and direct at 22°52′ Cancer on Jul 30, 1973, 5:51 PM ET (1973-07-30 21:51 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to creativity, romance and self-expression, then home, family and old memories.
Shadow: Jun 19, 1973 – Aug 13, 1973.
Oct 30, 1973 – Nov 19, 1973 · 20 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 26°36′ Scorpio on Oct 30, 1973, 5:30 AM ET (1973-10-30 10:30 UTC) and direct at 10°33′ Scorpio on Nov 19, 1973, 9:12 AM ET (1973-11-19 14:12 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to shared money, secrets and emotional depth.
Shadow: Oct 10, 1973 – Dec 6, 1973.
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: Mars retrograde 1973 · Jupiter retrograde 1973 · Saturn retrograde 1973 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1973: Mar 4 – Mar 27 in Pisces; Jul 6 – Jul 30 in Leo and Cancer; Oct 30 – Nov 19 in Scorpio.
About 67 days in total during 1973; 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.