Mercury retrograde 1996: 4 periods, 75 days inside the year — 20.5% of 1996. Mercury turned retrograde at 9:51 PM UTC on January 9 at 5°10′ Aquarius and turned direct at 10:17 AM UTC on January 30 at 19°06′ Capricorn. The other 6 stations are in the table below.
Turns retrograde
Jan 9 9:51 PM UTC
Loops in 1996
4 retrograde periods
Retrograde in 1996
75 days 20.5% of the year
Signs
Aquarius, Taurus, Libra, Capricorn last loop retreats 16.26°
Mercury’s path through 1996, day by day
Apparent position of Mercury against the zodiac, Jan 1, 1996 – Jan 18, 1997
RetrogradeShadowR — stations retrograde · D — stations direct
Mercury starts 1996 at 29°08′ Capricorn and ends it at 13°06′ Capricorn — 344° of net progress: 389.6° forward, 45.6° given back. Its four loops retrace 16.06°, 8.99°, 14.49° and 16.26° (21, 24, 22 and 20 days). Fastest day: Jul 8, 2.17° forward; fastest backward: Jan 19, 1.3°. Counting the shadows, 186 days of 1996 sit inside a retrograde window.
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Exact times
Mercury retrograde 1996: exact times in your city
Mercury turned retrograde at 9:51 PM UTC on January 9, 1996 at 5°10′ Aquarius — 6:51 PM in Santiago, 4:51 PM in New York, 9:51 PM in London and 6:51 AM on January 10 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 16.06°
January 9 → January 30, 1996 in Aquarius
Stations retrograde
Jan 9, 1996, 9:51 PM UTC at
5°10′ Aquarius
Stations direct
Jan 30, 1996, 10:17 AM UTC at
19°06′ Capricorn
Shadow opens
Dec 24, 1995, 1:55 PM UTC
(16 days before)
Shadow closes
Feb 19, 1996, 9:38 AM UTC
(20 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The January loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 16.06° between 19°06′ Capricorn and 5°10′ 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.
No other planet is retrograde during this period, which is unusual.
Stations retrograde
May 3, 1996, 10:40 PM UTC at
28°38′ Taurus
Stations direct
May 27, 1996, 7:02 PM UTC at
19°38′ Taurus
Shadow opens
Apr 19, 1996, 9:09 PM UTC
(14 days before)
Shadow closes
Jun 12, 1996, 4:32 PM UTC
(16 days after)
Full window including shadows54 days
The May loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 8.99° between 19°38′ Taurus and 28°38′ Taurus three times: forward in the pre-shadow (14 days), back while retrograde (24 days), forward again in the post-shadow (16 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.
It begins in Taurus season and ends in
Gemini season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Neptune
in Capricorn —
May 3 to May 27, 1996 (24 days of overlap)
Pluto
in Sagittarius —
May 3 to May 27, 1996 (24 days of overlap)
Jupiter
in Capricorn —
May 4 to May 27, 1996 (23 days of overlap)
Uranus
in Aquarius —
May 8 to May 27, 1996 (19 days of overlap)
Venus
in Gemini —
May 20 to May 27, 1996 (8 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Sep 4, 1996, 5:47 AM UTC at
3°29′ Libra
Stations direct
Sep 26, 1996, 5:08 PM UTC at
19°00′ Virgo
Shadow opens
Aug 15, 1996, 1:31 AM UTC
(20 days before)
Shadow closes
Oct 11, 1996, 8:55 AM UTC
(15 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The September loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 14.49° between 19°00′ Virgo and 3°29′ 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 Aries —
Sep 4 to Sep 26, 1996 (22 days of overlap)
Uranus
in Aquarius —
Sep 4 to Sep 26, 1996 (22 days of overlap)
Neptune
in Capricorn —
Sep 4 to Sep 26, 1996 (22 days of overlap)
20 days · retreats 16.26°
· crosses the year boundary
December 23, 1996 → January 12, 1997 in Capricorn
Stations retrograde
Dec 23, 1996, 7:46 PM UTC at
19°13′ Capricorn
Stations direct
Jan 12, 1997, 8:41 PM UTC at
2°58′ Capricorn
Shadow opens
Dec 6, 1996, 3:50 PM UTC
(17 days before)
Shadow closes
Feb 1, 1997, 8:44 AM UTC
(20 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The December loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 16.26° between 2°58′ Capricorn and 19°13′ Capricorn three times: forward in the pre-shadow (17 days), back while retrograde (20 days), forward again in the post-shadow (20 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.
It begins and ends within Capricorn season.
No other planet is retrograde during this period, which is unusual.
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 1996
Mercury through the zodiac in 1996
Every sign Mercury occupies during 1996, 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 1996 Dates: Jan 9, May 3, Sep 4, Dec 23.” Accessed October 31, 2026. https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/1996/
For Wikipedia{{cite web |title=Mercury Retrograde 1996 Dates: Jan 9, May 3, Sep 4, Dec 23 |url=https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/1996/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-31}}
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