Mercury retrograde 1956: 3 periods, 67 days inside the year — 18.2% of 1956. Mercury turned retrograde at 3:52 PM UTC on January 18 at 13°27′ Aquarius and turned direct at 12:11 PM UTC on February 8 at 27°35′ Capricorn. The other four stations are in the table below.
Turns retrograde
Jan 18 3:52 PM UTC
Loops in 1956
3 retrograde periods
Retrograde in 1956
67 days 18.2% of the year
Signs
Aquarius, Gemini, Libra last loop retreats 14.91°
Mercury’s path through 1956, day by day
Apparent position of Mercury against the zodiac, 1956
RetrogradeShadowR — stations retrograde · D — stations direct
Mercury starts 1956 at 24°16′ Capricorn and ends it at 26°47′ Capricorn — a full lap of the zodiac plus 2.5°: 401.9° forward, 39.3° given back. Its three loops retrace 15.86°, 8.64° and 14.91° (21, 24 and 22 days). Fastest day: Jul 17, 2.14° forward; fastest backward: Jan 28, 1.26°. Counting the shadows, 184 days of 1956 sit inside a retrograde window.
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Exact times
Mercury retrograde 1956: exact times in your city
Mercury turned retrograde at 3:52 PM UTC on January 18, 1956 at 13°27′ Aquarius — 11:52 AM in Santiago, 10:52 AM in New York, 3:52 PM in London and 12:52 AM on January 19 in Tokyo.
Stations from the NASA JPL DE440 ephemeris. Swiss Ephemeris agrees on every Mercury station 1900–2050: all within a minute. Local times: IANA time zones, to the minute.
21 days · retreats 15.86°
January 18 → February 8, 1956 in Aquarius
Stations retrograde
Jan 18, 1956, 3:52 PM UTC at
13°27′ Aquarius
Stations direct
Feb 8, 1956, 12:11 PM UTC at
27°35′ Capricorn
Shadow opens
Jan 2, 1956, 6:26 PM UTC
(16 days before)
Shadow closes
Feb 28, 1956, 3:25 PM UTC
(20 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The January loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 15.86° between 27°35′ Capricorn and 13°27′ Aquarius three times: forward in the pre-shadow (16 days), back while retrograde (21 days), forward again in the post-shadow (20 days).
Mercury retrograde in Aquarius
In Aquarius the retrograde falls on technology, groups and future plans. Software glitches, group chats full of misunderstandings and stalled community projects are typical. It suits updating systems, reconnecting with old friends and rethinking long-range ideas.
…and back into Capricorn
In Capricorn the retrograde hits career plans, authority and long-term structures. Deadlines slip, approvals are delayed and managers change their minds. It is traditionally used for reviewing goals and reorganizing rather than for starting new ventures.
It begins in Capricorn season and ends in
Aquarius season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Jupiter
in Virgo —
Jan 18 to Feb 8, 1956 (21 days of overlap)
Uranus
in Leo —
Jan 18 to Feb 8, 1956 (21 days of overlap)
Pluto
in Leo —
Jan 18 to Feb 8, 1956 (21 days of overlap)
Neptune
in Scorpio —
Feb 1 to Feb 8, 1956 (7 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
May 14, 1956, 12:13 PM UTC at
8°52′ Gemini
Stations direct
Jun 7, 1956, 8:35 AM UTC at
0°13′ Gemini
Shadow opens
Apr 30, 1956, 3:23 AM UTC
(14 days before)
Shadow closes
Jun 22, 1956, 5:57 PM UTC
(15 days after)
Full window including shadows54 days
The May loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 8.64° between 0°13′ Gemini and 8°52′ Gemini three times: forward in the pre-shadow (14 days), back while retrograde (24 days), forward again in the post-shadow (15 days).
Mercury retrograde in Gemini
In Gemini, one of Mercury's own signs, the retrograde is at its most talkative and scattered: crossed wires, double-booked diaries, lost chargers and conversations that go round in circles. It rewards editing, rereading and catching up with people you lost touch with.
It begins in Taurus season and ends in
Gemini season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Saturn
in Sagittarius —
May 14 to Jun 7, 1956 (24 days of overlap)
Neptune
in Scorpio —
May 14 to Jun 7, 1956 (24 days of overlap)
Venus
in Cancer —
May 31 to Jun 7, 1956 (7 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Sep 13, 1956, 2:08 PM UTC at
12°11′ Libra
Stations direct
Oct 5, 1956, 2:21 PM UTC at
27°16′ Virgo
Shadow opens
Aug 24, 1956, 6:03 AM UTC
(20 days before)
Shadow closes
Oct 20, 1956, 1:19 PM UTC
(15 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The September loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 14.91° between 27°16′ Virgo and 12°11′ Libra three times: forward in the pre-shadow (20 days), back while retrograde (22 days), forward again in the post-shadow (15 days).
Mercury retrograde in Libra
In Libra the retrograde centers on relationships, agreements and contracts. Negotiations stall or reopen, misunderstandings arise in partnerships, and people from the past reappear. It favors renegotiating terms and clarifying what was assumed rather than signing new deals.
…and back into Virgo
In Virgo, Mercury's other home sign, the retrograde focuses on work routines, health and detail. Schedules unravel, small errors multiply, and systems that seemed fine reveal flaws. It is ideal for audits, decluttering and fixing processes before starting anything new.
It begins in Virgo season and ends in
Libra season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Mars
in Pisces —
Sep 13 to Oct 5, 1956 (22 days of overlap)
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 1956
Mercury through the zodiac in 1956
Every sign Mercury occupies during 1956, 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.
AstroHot. “Mercury Retrograde 1956 Dates: Jan 18, May 14, Sep 13.” Accessed October 31, 2026. https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/1956/
For Wikipedia{{cite web |title=Mercury Retrograde 1956 Dates: Jan 18, May 14, Sep 13 |url=https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/1956/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-31}}
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