Pluto turns retrograde at 11°43′ Libra on Jan 14, 1976, 6:50 AM ET (1976-01-14 11:50 UTC) and direct at 8°56′ Libra on Jun 18, 1976, 5:44 PM ET (1976-06-18 21:44 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to partnerships, agreements and fairness.
Shadow: Sep 27, 1975 – Oct 7, 1976.
What Pluto retrograde means
Pluto is associated with power, endings and deep transformation. It is retrograde for about five months every year: about 43% of the time from 1950 to 2050. Astrologers read the period as a time to revisit long processes of change from the inside, rather than force them outward.
Retrograde motion is an optical effect: Earth and Pluto move at different speeds, so Pluto 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.
Pluto is retrograde once in 1976: Jan 14 – Jun 18 in Libra.
How long is Pluto retrograde in 1976?
About 156 days in total during 1976; each retrograde lasts 156 days. Including the pre- and post-shadow, each cycle spans roughly 376 days.
What is the Pluto retrograde shadow?
The pre-shadow starts when Pluto 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.
Why do Pluto retrograde dates differ by time zone?
A station is one instant worldwide, but its calendar date depends on the time zone. This calendar displays Eastern Time, including daylight-saving changes, and the event cards also show UTC. A station shortly after midnight UTC can fall on the previous date in the Americas. Compare full timestamps before concluding that two calendars disagree.
Is Pluto still retrograde during the post-shadow?
No. The retrograde phase ends at the direct station. During the post-shadow, Pluto moves direct through the degrees it covered while retrograde, until it passes the earlier retrograde-station longitude. The direct date and post-shadow end date describe different events.
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.