2027 Forecast

Mars retrograde 1997

Mars retrograde 1997: 1 period, 81 days inside the year — 22.1% of 1997. Mars turned retrograde at 12:37 AM UTC on February 6 at 5°55′ Libra and turned direct at 7:09 PM UTC on April 27 at 16°44′ Virgo.

Turns retrograde
Feb 6 12:37 AM UTC
Turns direct
Apr 27 7:09 PM UTC
Retrograde in 1997
81 days 22.1% of the year
Sign
Libra retreats 19.18°
Mars Retrograde 1997 Dates: Feb 6 – Apr 27

Mars’s path through 1997, day by day

Apparent position of Mars against the zodiac, 1997
Apparent position of Mars against the zodiac, 1997. Mars starts 1997 at 29°14′ Virgo and ends it at 10°46′ Aquarius — 131.5° of net progress: 150.7° forward, 19.2° given back. The loop retraces 19.18° in 81 days, from 5°55′ Libra on Feb 6 back to 16°44′ Virgo on Apr 27. Fastest day: Dec 28, 0.79° forward; fastest backward: Mar 18, 0.4°. Counting the shadows, 182 days of 1997 sit inside a retrograde window. Pre-retrograde shadow: Dec 1, 1996 – Feb 6, 1997Post-retrograde shadow: Apr 27, 1997 – Jul 2, 1997Retrograde: Feb 6, 1997 – Apr 27, 1997VirgoLibraScorpioSagittariusCapricornAquariusStations retrograde Feb 6, 1997, 12:37 AM UTC, 5°55′ LibraR Feb 6Stations direct Apr 27, 1997, 7:09 PM UTC, 16°44′ VirgoD Apr 27JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecSource: NASA JPL DE440 ephemerisastrohot.com Apparent position of Mars against the zodiac, 1997. Mars starts 1997 at 29°14′ Virgo and ends it at 10°46′ Aquarius — 131.5° of net progress: 150.7° forward, 19.2° given back. The loop retraces 19.18° in 81 days, from 5°55′ Libra on Feb 6 back to 16°44′ Virgo on Apr 27. Fastest day: Dec 28, 0.79° forward; fastest backward: Mar 18, 0.4°. Counting the shadows, 182 days of 1997 sit inside a retrograde window. Pre-retrograde shadow: Dec 1, 1996 – Feb 6, 1997Post-retrograde shadow: Apr 27, 1997 – Jul 2, 1997Retrograde: Feb 6, 1997 – Apr 27, 1997VirgoLibraScorpioSagittariusCapricornAquariusStations retrograde Feb 6, 1997, 12:37 AM UTC, 5°55′ LibraR Feb 6Stations direct Apr 27, 1997, 7:09 PM UTC, 16°44′ VirgoD Apr 27JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecSource: NASA JPL DE440 ephemerisastrohot.com
Retrograde Shadow R — stations retrograde · D — stations direct

Mars starts 1997 at 29°14′ Virgo and ends it at 10°46′ Aquarius — 131.5° of net progress: 150.7° forward, 19.2° given back. The loop retraces 19.18° in 81 days, from 5°55′ Libra on Feb 6 back to 16°44′ Virgo on Apr 27. Fastest day: Dec 28, 0.79° forward; fastest backward: Mar 18, 0.4°. Counting the shadows, 182 days of 1997 sit inside a retrograde window.

Exact times

Mars retrograde 1997: exact times in your city

Mars turned retrograde at 12:37 AM UTC on February 6, 1997 at 5°55′ Libra — 9:37 PM on February 5 in Santiago, 7:37 PM on February 5 in New York, 12:37 AM in London and 9:37 AM in Tokyo.

City Turns retrograde Turns direct
UTC Thu, Feb 6 · 5°55′ Libra Sun, Apr 27 · 16°44′ Virgo
Honolulu United States 2:37 PM Wed, Feb 5 · UTC−10 9:09 AM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC−10
Anchorage United States 3:37 PM Wed, Feb 5 · UTC−9 11:09 AM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC−8
Los Angeles United States 4:37 PM Wed, Feb 5 · UTC−8 12:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC−7
Phoenix United States 5:37 PM Wed, Feb 5 · UTC−7 12:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC−7
Denver United States 5:37 PM Wed, Feb 5 · UTC−7 1:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC−6
Chicago United States 6:37 PM Wed, Feb 5 · UTC−6 2:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC−5
Mexico City Mexico 6:37 PM Wed, Feb 5 · UTC−6 2:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC−5
New York United States 7:37 PM Wed, Feb 5 · UTC−5 3:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC−4
Toronto Canada 7:37 PM Wed, Feb 5 · UTC−5 3:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC−4
Bogotá Colombia 7:37 PM Wed, Feb 5 · UTC−5 2:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC−5
Lima Peru 7:37 PM Wed, Feb 5 · UTC−5 2:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC−5
Caracas Venezuela 8:37 PM Wed, Feb 5 · UTC−4 3:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC−4
Santiago Chile 9:37 PM Wed, Feb 5 · UTC−3 3:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC−4
Buenos Aires Argentina 9:37 PM Wed, Feb 5 · UTC−3 4:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC−3
São Paulo Brazil 10:37 PM Wed, Feb 5 · UTC−2 4:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC−3
Reykjavík Iceland 12:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC 7:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC
London United Kingdom 12:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC 8:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC+1
Lagos Nigeria 1:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+1 8:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC+1
Paris France 1:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+1 9:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC+2
Berlin Germany 1:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+1 9:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC+2
Johannesburg South Africa 2:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+2 9:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC+2
Cairo Egypt 2:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+2 10:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC+3
Athens Greece 2:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+2 10:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC+3
Istanbul Turkey 2:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+2 10:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC+3
Moscow Russia 3:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+3 11:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC+4
Nairobi Kenya 3:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+3 10:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC+3
Tehran Iran 4:07 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+3:30 11:39 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC+4:30
Dubai United Arab Emirates 4:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+4 11:09 PM Sun, Apr 27 · UTC+4
Karachi Pakistan 5:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+5 12:09 AM Mon, Apr 28 · UTC+5
New Delhi India 6:07 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+5:30 12:39 AM Mon, Apr 28 · UTC+5:30
Kathmandu Nepal 6:22 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+5:45 12:54 AM Mon, Apr 28 · UTC+5:45
Dhaka Bangladesh 6:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+6 1:09 AM Mon, Apr 28 · UTC+6
Bangkok Thailand 7:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+7 2:09 AM Mon, Apr 28 · UTC+7
Jakarta Indonesia 7:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+7 2:09 AM Mon, Apr 28 · UTC+7
Singapore 8:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+8 3:09 AM Mon, Apr 28 · UTC+8
Beijing China 8:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+8 3:09 AM Mon, Apr 28 · UTC+8
Manila Philippines 8:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+8 3:09 AM Mon, Apr 28 · UTC+8
Perth Australia 8:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+8 3:09 AM Mon, Apr 28 · UTC+8
Seoul South Korea 9:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+9 4:09 AM Mon, Apr 28 · UTC+9
Tokyo Japan 9:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+9 4:09 AM Mon, Apr 28 · UTC+9
Adelaide Australia 11:07 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+10:30 4:39 AM Mon, Apr 28 · UTC+9:30
Brisbane Australia 10:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+10 5:09 AM Mon, Apr 28 · UTC+10
Sydney Australia 11:37 AM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+11 5:09 AM Mon, Apr 28 · UTC+10
Auckland New Zealand 1:37 PM Thu, Feb 6 · UTC+13 7:09 AM Mon, Apr 28 · UTC+12

Stations from the NASA JPL DE440 ephemeris. Swiss Ephemeris agrees on every Mars station 1900–2050: all within a minute. Local times: IANA time zones, to the minute.

81 days · retreats 19.18°

February 6 → April 27, 1997 in Libra

Stations retrograde Feb 6, 1997, 12:37 AM UTC at 5°55′ Libra
Stations direct Apr 27, 1997, 7:09 PM UTC at 16°44′ Virgo
Shadow opens Dec 1, 1996, 2:04 PM UTC (66 days before)
Shadow closes Jul 2, 1997, 3:49 AM UTC (65 days after)
Full window including shadows 213 days
The February loop up close, shadow to shadow
The February loop up close, shadow to shadow. Mars crosses the 19.18° between 16°44′ Virgo and 5°55′ Libra three times: forward in the pre-shadow (66 days), back while retrograde (81 days), forward again in the post-shadow (65 days). Pre-retrograde shadow: Dec 1, 1996 – Feb 6, 1997Post-retrograde shadow: Apr 27, 1997 – Jul 2, 1997Retrograde: Feb 6, 1997 – Apr 27, 199710° Virgo20° Virgo0° Libra10° LibraStations retrograde Feb 6, 1997, 12:37 AM UTC, 5°55′ LibraR Feb 6 · 5°55′ LibraStations direct Apr 27, 1997, 7:09 PM UTC, 16°44′ VirgoD Apr 27 · 16°44′ VirgoDec 2Dec 30Jan 27Feb 24Mar 24Apr 21May 19Jun 16Source: NASA JPL DE440 ephemerisastrohot.com The February loop up close, shadow to shadow. Mars crosses the 19.18° between 16°44′ Virgo and 5°55′ Libra three times: forward in the pre-shadow (66 days), back while retrograde (81 days), forward again in the post-shadow (65 days). Pre-retrograde shadow: Dec 1, 1996 – Feb 6, 1997Post-retrograde shadow: Apr 27, 1997 – Jul 2, 1997Retrograde: Feb 6, 1997 – Apr 27, 19970° LibraStations retrograde Feb 6, 1997, 12:37 AM UTC, 5°55′ LibraR Feb 6 · 5°55′ LibraStations direct Apr 27, 1997, 7:09 PM UTC, 16°44′ VirgoD Apr 27 · 16°44′ VirgoDec 2Jan 27Mar 24May 19Source: NASA JPL DE440 ephemerisastrohot.com

Mars crosses the 19.18° between 16°44′ Virgo and 5°55′ Libra three times: forward in the pre-shadow (66 days), back while retrograde (81 days), forward again in the post-shadow (65 days).

Mars retrograde in Libra

Mars retrograde in Libra brings conflict in partnerships to the surface. Unspoken resentments emerge, legal disputes slow down and decisions stall under indecision. It suits renegotiating fairness rather than escalating disagreements.

…and back into Virgo

Mars retrograde in Virgo hits work, health and daily routines. Efficiency drops, fitness plans falter and irritation over small details rises. It suits recovery, reorganizing workloads and correcting habits rather than pushing harder.

It begins in Aquarius season and ends in Taurus season.

Also retrograde at the same time

  • Pluto in Sagittarius — Mar 8 to Apr 27, 1997 (50 days of overlap)
  • Mercury in Taurus — Apr 15 to Apr 27, 1997 (13 days of overlap)

For the sign itself, see Libra and its daily horoscope.

Computed from the actual motion

The nearest Mars retrogrades either side of 1997

Previous

1995 Ended March 24, 1995 after 81 days, moving back 19.5° through the zodiac.

Next

1999 Begins March 18, 1999 and runs 78 days.

Both dates are computed from the planet’s apparent motion, not taken from a table. A retrograde begins the moment its daily movement against the stars turns negative, and that moment is findable to the hour.

Computed for 1997

Mars through the zodiac in 1997

Every sign Mars occupies during 1997, with the dates it enters and leaves. A sign that appears twice means the planet backed into the previous sign during a retrograde and crossed again.

Mars in Virgo From Jan 1 – Jan 3
Mars in Libra Jan 3 – Mar 8
Mars in Virgo Mar 8 – Jun 19
Mars in Libra Jun 19 – Aug 14
Mars in Scorpio Aug 14 – Sep 28
Mars in Sagittarius Sep 28 – Nov 9
Mars in Capricorn Nov 9 – Dec 18
Mars in Aquarius Dec 18 – Dec 31 and beyond

8 segments in 1997. Dates from NASA JPL’s DE440 ephemeris.

1997 at a glance

Every other retrograde in 1997

Mercury in Capricorn Dec 23, 1996 – Jan 12, 1997 · 20 days
Pluto in Sagittarius Mar 8, 1997 – Aug 13, 1997 · 158 days
Mercury in Taurus Apr 15, 1997 – May 8, 1997 · 24 days
Neptune in Capricorn May 1, 1997 – Oct 9, 1997 · 160 days
Uranus in Aquarius May 13, 1997 – Oct 14, 1997 · 154 days
Jupiter in Aquarius Jun 10, 1997 – Oct 8, 1997 · 120 days
Saturn in Aries Aug 1, 1997 – Dec 16, 1997 · 137 days
Mercury in Virgo Aug 17, 1997 – Sep 10, 1997 · 23 days
Mercury in Capricorn Dec 7, 1997 – Dec 27, 1997 · 20 days
Venus in Aquarius Dec 26, 1997 – Feb 5, 1998 · 41 days
← 1996 Mars retrograde in 1996. All Mars retrogrades Averages, shadow periods and the sign distribution over fifty years. 1998 → Mars retrograde in 1998.

Cite this page

AstroHot. “Mars Retrograde 1997 Dates: Feb 6 – Apr 27.” Accessed October 31, 2026. https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mars/1997/

For Wikipedia {{cite web |title=Mars Retrograde 1997 Dates: Feb 6 – Apr 27 |url=https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mars/1997/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-31}}