Mercury retrograde 1971: 4 periods, 74 days inside the year — 20.3% of 1971. Mercury turned direct at 4:36 AM UTC on January 8 at 27°48′ Sagittarius and turned retrograde at 5:11 PM UTC on April 9 at 3°46′ Taurus. The other 5 stations are in the table below.
Turns direct
Jan 8 4:36 AM UTC
Loops in 1971
4 retrograde periods
Retrograde in 1971
74 days 20.3% of the year
Signs
Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo, Sagittarius last loop retreats 16.3°
Mercury’s path through 1971, day by day
Apparent position of Mercury against the zodiac, Dec 13, 1970 – Dec 31, 1971
RetrogradeShadowR — stations retrograde · D — stations direct
Mercury starts 1971 at 1°35′ Capricorn and ends it at 16°44′ Sagittarius — 345.1° of net progress: 389.4° forward, 44.3° given back. Its four loops retrace 16.28°, 10.61°, 13.19° and 16.3° (20, 24, 23 and 20 days). Fastest day: Jun 20, 2.2° forward; fastest backward: Dec 12, 1.38°. Counting the shadows, 186 days of 1971 sit inside a retrograde window.
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Exact times
Mercury retrograde 1971: exact times in your city
Mercury turned direct at 4:36 AM UTC on January 8, 1971 at 27°48′ Sagittarius — 1:36 AM in Santiago, 11:36 PM on January 7 in New York, 5:36 AM in London and 1:36 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.
20 days · retreats 16.28°
· crosses the year boundary
December 19, 1970 → January 8, 1971 in Capricorn
Stations retrograde
Dec 19, 1970, 5:59 AM UTC at
14°05′ Capricorn
Stations direct
Jan 8, 1971, 4:36 AM UTC at
27°48′ Sagittarius
Shadow opens
Dec 1, 1970, 7:57 PM UTC
(17 days before)
Shadow closes
Jan 27, 1971, 12:02 PM UTC
(19 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The December loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 16.28° between 27°48′ Sagittarius and 14°05′ Capricorn three times: forward in the pre-shadow (17 days), back while retrograde (20 days), forward again in the post-shadow (19 days).
Mercury retrograde in 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.
…and back into Sagittarius
In Sagittarius the retrograde affects travel, study and beliefs. Journeys are delayed, paperwork for visas or courses gets stuck, and opinions stated too confidently need walking back. It suits revisiting plans for the bigger picture before committing to them.
It begins in Sagittarius season and ends in
Capricorn season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Saturn
in Taurus —
Dec 19 to Jan 8, 1971 (20 days of overlap)
Pluto
in Virgo —
Jan 1 to Jan 8, 1971 (6 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Apr 9, 1971, 5:11 PM UTC at
3°46′ Taurus
Stations direct
May 3, 1971, 10:25 AM UTC at
23°08′ Aries
Shadow opens
Mar 26, 1971, 10:47 PM UTC
(14 days before)
Shadow closes
May 20, 1971, 7:25 PM UTC
(17 days after)
Full window including shadows55 days
The April loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 10.61° between 23°08′ Aries and 3°46′ Taurus three times: forward in the pre-shadow (14 days), back while retrograde (24 days), forward again in the post-shadow (17 days).
Mercury retrograde in Taurus
In Taurus the retrograde lands on money, possessions and practical plans. Purchases get returned, payments are delayed, and decisions about property or savings are revisited. It is traditionally a good window for reviewing budgets rather than making large new commitments.
…and back into Aries
In Aries the retrograde tends to show up as hasty words and rushed decisions coming back for review. Messages sent in anger, plans launched without checking and arguments started on impulse are the classic material. The useful version is slower starts: finish the draft, reread it, then press send.
It begins in Aries season and ends in
Taurus season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Jupiter
in Sagittarius —
Apr 9 to May 3, 1971 (24 days of overlap)
Uranus
in Libra —
Apr 9 to May 3, 1971 (24 days of overlap)
Neptune
in Sagittarius —
Apr 9 to May 3, 1971 (24 days of overlap)
Pluto
in Virgo —
Apr 9 to May 3, 1971 (24 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Aug 12, 1971, 7:13 PM UTC at
10°33′ Virgo
Stations direct
Sep 5, 1971, 6:02 AM UTC at
27°21′ Leo
Shadow opens
Jul 24, 1971, 9:48 AM UTC
(19 days before)
Shadow closes
Sep 19, 1971, 10:27 AM UTC
(14 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The August loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 13.19° between 27°21′ Leo and 10°33′ Virgo three times: forward in the pre-shadow (19 days), back while retrograde (23 days), forward again in the post-shadow (14 days).
Mercury retrograde in 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.
…and back into Leo
In Leo the retrograde touches creative projects, self-expression and romance. Work you shelved asks to be finished, performances need rehearsing again, and an old flame may reappear. It is a good window for revising creative work rather than launching it.
It begins in Leo season and ends in
Virgo season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Mars
in Aquarius —
Aug 12 to Sep 5, 1971 (23 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Dec 3, 1971, 2:33 AM UTC at
28°15′ Sagittarius
Stations direct
Dec 22, 1971, 8:47 PM UTC at
11°57′ Sagittarius
Shadow opens
Nov 14, 1971, 8:26 PM UTC
(18 days before)
Shadow closes
Jan 10, 1972, 11:00 AM UTC
(19 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The December loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 16.3° between 11°57′ Sagittarius and 28°15′ Sagittarius three times: forward in the pre-shadow (18 days), back while retrograde (20 days), forward again in the post-shadow (19 days).
Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius
In Sagittarius the retrograde affects travel, study and beliefs. Journeys are delayed, paperwork for visas or courses gets stuck, and opinions stated too confidently need walking back. It suits revisiting plans for the bigger picture before committing to them.
It begins in Sagittarius season and ends in
Capricorn season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Saturn
in Gemini —
Dec 3 to Dec 22, 1971 (20 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 1971
Mercury through the zodiac in 1971
Every sign Mercury occupies during 1971, 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 1971: Until Jan 8, Apr 9, Aug 12, Dec 3.” Accessed October 31, 2026. https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/1971/
For Wikipedia{{cite web |title=Mercury Retrograde 1971: Until Jan 8, Apr 9, Aug 12, Dec 3 |url=https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/1971/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-31}}
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