Retrogrades › Mercury › 1987
New to shadow dates? Read how Mercury’s pre-shadow and post-shadow are calculated.
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1987: Feb 18 – Mar 12 in Pisces and Aquarius; Jun 20 – Jul 15 in Cancer; Oct 16 – Nov 6 in Scorpio and Libra.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 3, 1987 | Feb 18, 1987, 11:07 AM ET | Mar 12, 1987, 4:26 PM ET | Apr 1, 1987 | 14°30′ ♓︎ Pisces → ♒︎ Aquarius 29°57′ |
| Jun 4, 1987 | Jun 20, 1987, 11:52 PM ET | Jul 15, 1987, 3:44 AM ET | Jul 29, 1987 | 16°49′ ♋︎ Cancer 7°24′ |
| Sep 26, 1987 | Oct 16, 1987, 12:49 PM ET | Nov 6, 1987, 2:38 AM ET | Nov 22, 1987 | 13°13′ ♏︎ Scorpio → ♎︎ Libra 27°24′ |
Feb 18, 1987 – Mar 12, 1987 · 22 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 14°30′ Pisces on Feb 18, 1987, 11:07 AM ET (1987-02-18 16:07 UTC) and direct at 29°57′ Aquarius on Mar 12, 1987, 4:26 PM ET (1987-03-12 21:26 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to intuition, dreams and endings, then friends, groups and future goals.
Shadow: Feb 3, 1987 – Apr 1, 1987.
Jun 20, 1987 – Jul 15, 1987 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 16°49′ Cancer on Jun 20, 1987, 11:52 PM ET (1987-06-21 03:52 UTC) and direct at 7°24′ Cancer on Jul 15, 1987, 3:44 AM ET (1987-07-15 07:44 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to home, family and old memories.
Shadow: Jun 4, 1987 – Jul 29, 1987.
Oct 16, 1987 – Nov 6, 1987 · 21 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 13°13′ Scorpio on Oct 16, 1987, 12:49 PM ET (1987-10-16 16:49 UTC) and direct at 27°24′ Libra on Nov 6, 1987, 2:38 AM ET (1987-11-06 07:38 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to shared money, secrets and emotional depth, then partnerships, agreements and fairness.
Shadow: Sep 26, 1987 – Nov 22, 1987.
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 1987 · Saturn retrograde 1987 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1987: Feb 18 – Mar 12 in Pisces and Aquarius; Jun 20 – Jul 15 in Cancer; Oct 16 – Nov 6 in Scorpio and Libra.
About 67 days in total during 1987; 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.