Retrogrades › Mercury › 2010
Mercury is retrograde three times in 2010: Apr 18 – May 11 in Taurus; Aug 20 – Sep 12 in Virgo; Dec 10 – Dec 30 in Capricorn and Sagittarius.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 9, 2009 | Dec 26, 2009, 9:39 AM ET | Jan 15, 2010, 11:51 AM ET | Feb 4, 2010 | 21°48′ ♑︎ Capricorn 5°33′ |
| Apr 4, 2010 | Apr 18, 2010, 12:02 AM ET | May 11, 2010, 6:31 PM ET | May 28, 2010 | 12°38′ ♉︎ Taurus 2°40′ |
| Jul 31, 2010 | Aug 20, 2010, 4:02 PM ET | Sep 12, 2010, 7:07 PM ET | Sep 27, 2010 | 19°04′ ♍︎ Virgo 5°22′ |
| Nov 22, 2010 | Dec 10, 2010, 7:03 AM ET | Dec 30, 2010, 2:23 AM ET | Jan 18, 2011 | 5°56′ ♑︎ Capricorn → ♐︎ Sagittarius 19°37′ |
Dec 26, 2009 – Jan 15, 2010 · 20 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 21°48′ Capricorn on Dec 26, 2009, 9:39 AM ET (2009-12-26 14:39 UTC) and direct at 5°33′ Capricorn on Jan 15, 2010, 11:51 AM ET (2010-01-15 16:51 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to career, authority and long-term plans.
Shadow: Dec 9, 2009 – Feb 4, 2010.
Apr 18, 2010 – May 11, 2010 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 12°38′ Taurus on Apr 18, 2010, 12:02 AM ET (2010-04-18 04:02 UTC) and direct at 2°40′ Taurus on May 11, 2010, 6:31 PM ET (2010-05-11 22:31 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to money, possessions and comfort.
Shadow: Apr 4, 2010 – May 28, 2010.
Aug 20, 2010 – Sep 12, 2010 · 23 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 19°04′ Virgo on Aug 20, 2010, 4:02 PM ET (2010-08-20 20:02 UTC) and direct at 5°22′ Virgo on Sep 12, 2010, 7:07 PM ET (2010-09-12 23:07 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to work routines, health and details.
Shadow: Jul 31, 2010 – Sep 27, 2010.
Dec 10, 2010 – Dec 30, 2010 · 20 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 5°56′ Capricorn on Dec 10, 2010, 7:03 AM ET (2010-12-10 12:03 UTC) and direct at 19°37′ Sagittarius on Dec 30, 2010, 2:23 AM ET (2010-12-30 07:23 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to career, authority and long-term plans, then travel, education and beliefs.
Shadow: Nov 22, 2010 – Jan 18, 2011.
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 2010 · Mars retrograde 2010 · Jupiter retrograde 2010 · Saturn retrograde 2010 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 2010: Apr 18 – May 11 in Taurus; Aug 20 – Sep 12 in Virgo; Dec 10 – Dec 30 in Capricorn and Sagittarius. The year also opens with the retrograde that began on Dec 26, 2009, ending Jan 15, 2010.
About 81 days in total during 2010; 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.