Retrogrades › Mercury › 1974
New to shadow dates? Read how Mercury’s pre-shadow and post-shadow are calculated.
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1974: Feb 15 – Mar 9 in Pisces and Aquarius; Jun 17 – Jul 11 in Cancer; Oct 13 – Nov 3 in Scorpio and Libra.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 31, 1974 | Feb 15, 1974, 3:42 PM ET | Mar 9, 1974, 6:16 PM ET | Mar 29, 1974 | 11°50′ ♓︎ Pisces → ♒︎ Aquarius 27°08′ |
| Jun 1, 1974 | Jun 17, 1974, 6:46 PM ET | Jul 11, 1974, 9:48 PM ET | Jul 26, 1974 | 13°39′ ♋︎ Cancer 4°24′ |
| Sep 23, 1974 | Oct 13, 1974, 3:50 PM ET | Nov 3, 1974, 7:50 AM ET | Nov 19, 1974 | 10°38′ ♏︎ Scorpio → ♎︎ Libra 24°52′ |
Feb 15, 1974 – Mar 9, 1974 · 22 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 11°50′ Pisces on Feb 15, 1974, 3:42 PM ET (1974-02-15 19:42 UTC) and direct at 27°08′ Aquarius on Mar 9, 1974, 6:16 PM ET (1974-03-09 22:16 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to intuition, dreams and endings, then friends, groups and future goals.
Shadow: Jan 31, 1974 – Mar 29, 1974.
Jun 17, 1974 – Jul 11, 1974 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 13°39′ Cancer on Jun 17, 1974, 6:46 PM ET (1974-06-17 22:46 UTC) and direct at 4°24′ Cancer on Jul 11, 1974, 9:48 PM ET (1974-07-12 01:48 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to home, family and old memories.
Shadow: Jun 1, 1974 – Jul 26, 1974.
Oct 13, 1974 – Nov 3, 1974 · 21 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 10°38′ Scorpio on Oct 13, 1974, 3:50 PM ET (1974-10-13 19:50 UTC) and direct at 24°52′ Libra on Nov 3, 1974, 7:50 AM ET (1974-11-03 12:50 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to shared money, secrets and emotional depth, then partnerships, agreements and fairness.
Shadow: Sep 23, 1974 – Nov 19, 1974.
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 1974 · Jupiter retrograde 1974 · Saturn retrograde 1974 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1974: Feb 15 – Mar 9 in Pisces and Aquarius; Jun 17 – Jul 11 in Cancer; Oct 13 – Nov 3 in Scorpio and Libra.
About 67 days in total during 1974; 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.