Retrogrades › Mercury › 1990
New to shadow dates? Read how Mercury’s pre-shadow and post-shadow are calculated.
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1990: Apr 23 – May 16 in Taurus; Aug 25 – Sep 17 in Virgo; Dec 14 – Jan 3 in Capricorn and Sagittarius.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 13, 1989 | Dec 30, 1989, 6:28 PM ET | Jan 19, 1990, 11:29 PM ET | Feb 8, 1990 | 25°54′ ♑︎ Capricorn 9°42′ |
| Apr 9, 1990 | Apr 23, 1990, 2:52 AM ET | May 16, 1990, 10:04 PM ET | Jun 2, 1990 | 17°32′ ♉︎ Taurus 7°55′ |
| Aug 5, 1990 | Aug 25, 1990, 10:07 AM ET | Sep 17, 1990, 8:05 AM ET | Oct 1, 1990 | 23°34′ ♍︎ Virgo 9°35′ |
| Nov 27, 1990 | Dec 14, 1990, 4:06 PM ET | Jan 3, 1991, 12:52 PM ET | Jan 22, 1991 | 10°00′ ♑︎ Capricorn → ♐︎ Sagittarius 23°42′ |
Dec 30, 1989 – Jan 19, 1990 · 20 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 25°54′ Capricorn on Dec 30, 1989, 6:28 PM ET (1989-12-30 23:28 UTC) and direct at 9°42′ Capricorn on Jan 19, 1990, 11:29 PM ET (1990-01-20 04:29 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to career, authority and long-term plans.
Shadow: Dec 13, 1989 – Feb 8, 1990.
Apr 23, 1990 – May 16, 1990 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 17°32′ Taurus on Apr 23, 1990, 2:52 AM ET (1990-04-23 06:52 UTC) and direct at 7°55′ Taurus on May 16, 1990, 10:04 PM ET (1990-05-17 02:04 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to money, possessions and comfort.
Shadow: Apr 9, 1990 – Jun 2, 1990.
Aug 25, 1990 – Sep 17, 1990 · 23 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 23°34′ Virgo on Aug 25, 1990, 10:07 AM ET (1990-08-25 14:07 UTC) and direct at 9°35′ Virgo on Sep 17, 1990, 8:05 AM ET (1990-09-17 12:05 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to work routines, health and details.
Shadow: Aug 5, 1990 – Oct 1, 1990.
Dec 14, 1990 – Jan 3, 1991 · 20 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 10°00′ Capricorn on Dec 14, 1990, 4:06 PM ET (1990-12-14 21:06 UTC) and direct at 23°42′ Sagittarius on Jan 3, 1991, 12:52 PM ET (1991-01-03 17:52 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to career, authority and long-term plans, then travel, education and beliefs.
Shadow: Nov 27, 1990 – Jan 22, 1991.
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 1990 · Mars retrograde 1990 · Jupiter retrograde 1990 · Saturn retrograde 1990 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 1990: Apr 23 – May 16 in Taurus; Aug 25 – Sep 17 in Virgo; Dec 14 – Jan 3 in Capricorn and Sagittarius. The year also opens with the retrograde that began on Dec 30, 1989, ending Jan 19, 1990.
About 83 days in total during 1990; each retrograde lasts 24 days, 23 days and 20 days. Including the pre- and post-shadow, each cycle spans roughly 54 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.