Mercury retrograde 1969: 3 periods, 67 days inside the year — 18.3% of 1969. Mercury turned retrograde at 10:57 AM UTC on January 20 at 16°02′ Aquarius and turned direct at 9:39 AM UTC on February 10 at 0°15′ Aquarius. The other four stations are in the table below.
Turns retrograde
Jan 20 10:57 AM UTC
Loops in 1969
3 retrograde periods
Retrograde in 1969
67 days 18.3% of the year
Signs
Aquarius, Gemini, Libra last loop retreats 15.01°
Mercury’s path through 1969, day by day
Apparent position of Mercury against the zodiac, 1969
RetrogradeShadowR — stations retrograde · D — stations direct
Mercury starts 1969 at 24°06′ Capricorn and ends it at 28°36′ Capricorn — a full lap of the zodiac plus 4.5°: 403.8° forward, 39.3° given back. Its three loops retrace 15.8°, 8.59° and 15.01° (21, 24 and 22 days). Fastest day: Jul 19, 2.14° forward; fastest backward: Jan 29, 1.25°. Counting the shadows, 181 days of 1969 sit inside a retrograde window.
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Exact times
Mercury retrograde 1969: exact times in your city
Mercury turned retrograde at 10:57 AM UTC on January 20, 1969 at 16°02′ Aquarius — 7:57 AM in Santiago, 5:57 AM in New York, 11:57 AM in London and 7:57 PM 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 15.8°
January 20 → February 10, 1969 in Aquarius
Stations retrograde
Jan 20, 1969, 10:57 AM UTC at
16°02′ Aquarius
Stations direct
Feb 10, 1969, 9:39 AM UTC at
0°15′ Aquarius
Shadow opens
Jan 4, 1969, 4:13 PM UTC
(16 days before)
Shadow closes
Mar 2, 1969, 1:26 PM UTC
(20 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The January loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 15.8° between 0°15′ Aquarius and 16°02′ 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.
It begins and ends within Aquarius season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Uranus
in Libra —
Jan 20 to Feb 10, 1969 (21 days of overlap)
Pluto
in Virgo —
Jan 20 to Feb 10, 1969 (21 days of overlap)
Jupiter
in Libra —
Jan 20 to Feb 10, 1969 (21 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
May 17, 1969, 7:07 PM UTC at
12°01′ Gemini
Stations direct
Jun 10, 1969, 3:49 PM UTC at
3°25′ Gemini
Shadow opens
May 3, 1969, 7:55 AM UTC
(14 days before)
Shadow closes
Jun 25, 1969, 10:04 PM UTC
(15 days after)
Full window including shadows54 days
The May loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 8.59° between 3°25′ Gemini and 12°01′ 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
Mars
in Sagittarius —
May 17 to Jun 10, 1969 (24 days of overlap)
Jupiter
in Libra —
May 17 to May 23, 1969 (6 days of overlap)
Uranus
in Libra —
May 17 to Jun 7, 1969 (20 days of overlap)
Neptune
in Scorpio —
May 17 to Jun 10, 1969 (24 days of overlap)
Pluto
in Virgo —
May 17 to Jun 2, 1969 (16 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Sep 16, 1969, 12:42 PM UTC at
14°51′ Libra
Stations direct
Oct 8, 1969, 9:54 AM UTC at
29°51′ Virgo
Shadow opens
Aug 27, 1969, 3:55 AM UTC
(20 days before)
Shadow closes
Oct 23, 1969, 10:54 AM UTC
(15 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The September loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 15.01° between 29°51′ Virgo and 14°51′ 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
Saturn
in Taurus —
Sep 16 to Oct 8, 1969 (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 1969
Mercury through the zodiac in 1969
Every sign Mercury occupies during 1969, 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 1969 Dates: Jan 20, May 17, Sep 16.” Accessed October 31, 2026. https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/1969/
For Wikipedia{{cite web |title=Mercury Retrograde 1969 Dates: Jan 20, May 17, Sep 16 |url=https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/1969/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-31}}
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