Retrogrades › Mercury › 1986
New to shadow dates? Read how Mercury’s pre-shadow and post-shadow are calculated.
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1986: Mar 7 – Mar 30 in Aries and Pisces; Jul 9 – Aug 2 in Leo and Cancer; Nov 2 – Nov 22 in Scorpio.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 21, 1986 | Mar 7, 1986, 5:58 AM ET | Mar 30, 1986, 3:41 AM ET | Apr 18, 1986 | 1°19′ ♈︎ Aries → ♓︎ Pisces 17°56′ |
| Jun 22, 1986 | Jul 9, 1986, 4:22 PM ET | Aug 2, 1986, 8:53 PM ET | Aug 16, 1986 | 6°25′ ♌︎ Leo → ♋︎ Cancer 25°44′ |
| Oct 13, 1986 | Nov 2, 1986, 1:48 AM ET | Nov 22, 1986, 4:03 AM ET | Dec 9, 1986 | 29°10′ ♏︎ Scorpio 13°05′ |
Mar 7, 1986 – Mar 30, 1986 · 23 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 1°19′ Aries on Mar 7, 1986, 5:58 AM ET (1986-03-07 10:58 UTC) and direct at 17°56′ Pisces on Mar 30, 1986, 3:41 AM ET (1986-03-30 08:41 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to impulsive decisions, independence and new starts, then intuition, dreams and endings.
Shadow: Feb 21, 1986 – Apr 18, 1986.
Jul 9, 1986 – Aug 2, 1986 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 6°25′ Leo on Jul 9, 1986, 4:22 PM ET (1986-07-09 20:22 UTC) and direct at 25°44′ Cancer on Aug 2, 1986, 8:53 PM ET (1986-08-03 00:53 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to creativity, romance and self-expression, then home, family and old memories.
Shadow: Jun 22, 1986 – Aug 16, 1986.
Nov 2, 1986 – Nov 22, 1986 · 20 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 29°10′ Scorpio on Nov 2, 1986, 1:48 AM ET (1986-11-02 06:48 UTC) and direct at 13°05′ Scorpio on Nov 22, 1986, 4:03 AM ET (1986-11-22 09:03 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to shared money, secrets and emotional depth.
Shadow: Oct 13, 1986 – Dec 9, 1986.
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 1986 · Mars retrograde 1986 · Jupiter retrograde 1986 · Saturn retrograde 1986 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1986: Mar 7 – Mar 30 in Aries and Pisces; Jul 9 – Aug 2 in Leo and Cancer; Nov 2 – Nov 22 in Scorpio.
About 67 days in total during 1986; 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.