Retrogrades › Mercury › 1979
New to shadow dates? Read how Mercury’s pre-shadow and post-shadow are calculated.
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1979: Mar 14 – Apr 7 in Aries and Pisces; Jul 17 – Aug 10 in Leo; Nov 9 – Nov 29 in Sagittarius and Scorpio.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 28, 1979 | Mar 14, 1979, 8:18 PM ET | Apr 7, 1979, 12:20 AM ET | Apr 25, 1979 | 8°31′ ♈︎ Aries → ♓︎ Pisces 25°44′ |
| Jun 29, 1979 | Jul 17, 1979, 6:35 PM ET | Aug 10, 1979, 9:37 PM ET | Aug 24, 1979 | 14°27′ ♌︎ Leo 3°09′ |
| Oct 21, 1979 | Nov 9, 1979, 8:52 AM ET | Nov 29, 1979, 7:40 AM ET | Dec 16, 1979 | 5°49′ ♐︎ Sagittarius → ♏︎ Scorpio 19°40′ |
Mar 14, 1979 – Apr 7, 1979 · 23 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 8°31′ Aries on Mar 14, 1979, 8:18 PM ET (1979-03-15 01:18 UTC) and direct at 25°44′ Pisces on Apr 7, 1979, 12:20 AM ET (1979-04-07 05:20 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to impulsive decisions, independence and new starts, then intuition, dreams and endings.
Shadow: Feb 28, 1979 – Apr 25, 1979.
Jul 17, 1979 – Aug 10, 1979 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 14°27′ Leo on Jul 17, 1979, 6:35 PM ET (1979-07-17 22:35 UTC) and direct at 3°09′ Leo on Aug 10, 1979, 9:37 PM ET (1979-08-11 01:37 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to creativity, romance and self-expression.
Shadow: Jun 29, 1979 – Aug 24, 1979.
Nov 9, 1979 – Nov 29, 1979 · 20 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 5°49′ Sagittarius on Nov 9, 1979, 8:52 AM ET (1979-11-09 13:52 UTC) and direct at 19°40′ Scorpio on Nov 29, 1979, 7:40 AM ET (1979-11-29 12:40 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to travel, education and beliefs, then shared money, secrets and emotional depth.
Shadow: Oct 21, 1979 – Dec 16, 1979.
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 1979 · Saturn retrograde 1979 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1979: Mar 14 – Apr 7 in Aries and Pisces; Jul 17 – Aug 10 in Leo; Nov 9 – Nov 29 in Sagittarius and Scorpio.
About 67 days in total during 1979; 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.