Retrogrades › Mercury › 2002
New to shadow dates? Read how Mercury’s pre-shadow and post-shadow are calculated.
Mercury is retrograde three times in 2002: Jan 18 – Feb 8 in Aquarius and Capricorn; May 15 – Jun 8 in Gemini; Sep 14 – Oct 6 in Libra and Virgo.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2, 2002 | Jan 18, 2002, 3:49 PM ET | Feb 8, 2002, 12:27 PM ET | Feb 28, 2002 | 14°29′ ♒︎ Aquarius → ♑︎ Capricorn 28°38′ |
| May 1, 2002 | May 15, 2002, 2:52 PM ET | Jun 8, 2002, 11:06 AM ET | Jun 23, 2002 | 9°59′ ♊︎ Gemini 1°21′ |
| Aug 25, 2002 | Sep 14, 2002, 3:35 PM ET | Oct 6, 2002, 3:29 PM ET | Oct 21, 2002 | 13°15′ ♎︎ Libra → ♍︎ Virgo 28°19′ |
Jan 18, 2002 – Feb 8, 2002 · 21 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 14°29′ Aquarius on Jan 18, 2002, 3:49 PM ET (2002-01-18 20:49 UTC) and direct at 28°38′ Capricorn on Feb 8, 2002, 12:27 PM ET (2002-02-08 17:27 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to friends, groups and future goals, then career, authority and long-term plans.
Shadow: Jan 2, 2002 – Feb 28, 2002.
May 15, 2002 – Jun 8, 2002 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 9°59′ Gemini on May 15, 2002, 2:52 PM ET (2002-05-15 18:52 UTC) and direct at 1°21′ Gemini on Jun 8, 2002, 11:06 AM ET (2002-06-08 15:06 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to everyday communication, siblings and short trips.
Shadow: May 1, 2002 – Jun 23, 2002.
Sep 14, 2002 – Oct 6, 2002 · 22 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 13°15′ Libra on Sep 14, 2002, 3:35 PM ET (2002-09-14 19:35 UTC) and direct at 28°19′ Virgo on Oct 6, 2002, 3:29 PM ET (2002-10-06 19:29 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to partnerships, agreements and fairness, then work routines, health and details.
Shadow: Aug 25, 2002 – Oct 21, 2002.
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 2002 · Jupiter retrograde 2002 · Saturn retrograde 2002 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 2002: Jan 18 – Feb 8 in Aquarius and Capricorn; May 15 – Jun 8 in Gemini; Sep 14 – Oct 6 in Libra and Virgo.
About 67 days in total during 2002; each retrograde lasts 21 days, 24 days and 22 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.