Retrogrades › Mercury › 2016
Mercury is retrograde four times in 2016: Jan 5 – Jan 25 in Aquarius and Capricorn; Apr 28 – May 22 in Taurus; Aug 30 – Sep 22 in Virgo; Dec 19 – Jan 8 in Capricorn and Sagittarius.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 19, 2015 | Jan 5, 2016, 8:08 AM ET | Jan 25, 2016, 4:49 PM ET | Feb 14, 2016 | 1°03′ ♒︎ Aquarius → ♑︎ Capricorn 14°55′ |
| Apr 14, 2016 | Apr 28, 2016, 1:24 PM ET | May 22, 2016, 9:18 AM ET | Jun 7, 2016 | 23°36′ ♉︎ Taurus 14°20′ |
| Aug 10, 2016 | Aug 30, 2016, 9:02 AM ET | Sep 22, 2016, 1:33 AM ET | Oct 6, 2016 | 29°05′ ♍︎ Virgo 14°49′ |
| Dec 1, 2016 | Dec 19, 2016, 5:56 AM ET | Jan 8, 2017, 4:43 AM ET | Jan 27, 2017 | 15°08′ ♑︎ Capricorn → ♐︎ Sagittarius 28°51′ |
Jan 5, 2016 – Jan 25, 2016 · 20 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 1°03′ Aquarius on Jan 5, 2016, 8:08 AM ET (2016-01-05 13:08 UTC) and direct at 14°55′ Capricorn on Jan 25, 2016, 4:49 PM ET (2016-01-25 21:49 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to friends, groups and future goals, then career, authority and long-term plans.
Shadow: Dec 19, 2015 – Feb 14, 2016.
Apr 28, 2016 – May 22, 2016 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 23°36′ Taurus on Apr 28, 2016, 1:24 PM ET (2016-04-28 17:24 UTC) and direct at 14°20′ Taurus on May 22, 2016, 9:18 AM ET (2016-05-22 13:18 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to money, possessions and comfort.
Shadow: Apr 14, 2016 – Jun 7, 2016.
Aug 30, 2016 – Sep 22, 2016 · 23 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 29°05′ Virgo on Aug 30, 2016, 9:02 AM ET (2016-08-30 13:02 UTC) and direct at 14°49′ Virgo on Sep 22, 2016, 1:33 AM ET (2016-09-22 05:33 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to work routines, health and details.
Shadow: Aug 10, 2016 – Oct 6, 2016.
Dec 19, 2016 – Jan 8, 2017 · 20 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 15°08′ Capricorn on Dec 19, 2016, 5:56 AM ET (2016-12-19 10:56 UTC) and direct at 28°51′ Sagittarius on Jan 8, 2017, 4:43 AM ET (2017-01-08 09:43 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to career, authority and long-term plans, then travel, education and beliefs.
Shadow: Dec 1, 2016 – Jan 27, 2017.
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: Mars retrograde 2016 · Jupiter retrograde 2016 · Saturn retrograde 2016 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde four times in 2016: Jan 5 – Jan 25 in Aquarius and Capricorn; Apr 28 – May 22 in Taurus; Aug 30 – Sep 22 in Virgo; Dec 19 – Jan 8 in Capricorn and Sagittarius.
About 79 days in total during 2016; each retrograde lasts 20 days, 24 days, 23 days and 20 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.