Mercury retrograde 1997: 4 periods, 79 days inside the year — 21.5% of 1997. Mercury turned direct at 8:41 PM UTC on January 12 at 2°58′ Capricorn and turned retrograde at 12:01 AM UTC on April 15 at 9°39′ Taurus. The other 5 stations are in the table below.
Turns direct
Jan 12 8:41 PM UTC
Loops in 1997
4 retrograde periods
Retrograde in 1997
79 days 21.5% of the year
Signs
Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo last loop retreats 16.31°
Mercury’s path through 1997, day by day
Apparent position of Mercury against the zodiac, Dec 17, 1996 – Jan 2, 1998
RetrogradeShadowR — stations retrograde · D — stations direct
Mercury starts 1997 at 13°06′ Capricorn and ends it at 18°28′ Sagittarius — 335.4° of net progress: 385.5° forward, 50.1° given back. Its four loops retrace 16.26°, 10.18°, 13.53° and 16.31° (20, 24, 23 and 20 days). Fastest day: Jun 24, 2.19° forward; fastest backward: Dec 17, 1.38°. Counting the shadows, 185 days of 1997 sit inside a retrograde window.
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Exact times
Mercury retrograde 1997: exact times in your city
Mercury turned direct at 8:41 PM UTC on January 12, 1997 at 2°58′ Capricorn — 5:41 PM in Santiago, 3:41 PM in New York, 8:41 PM in London and 5:41 AM on January 13 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 16.26°
· 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.
Stations retrograde
Apr 15, 1997, 12:01 AM UTC at
9°39′ Taurus
Stations direct
May 8, 1997, 6:05 PM UTC at
29°28′ Aries
Shadow opens
Apr 1, 1997, 4:49 AM UTC
(14 days before)
Shadow closes
May 25, 1997, 7:01 PM UTC
(17 days after)
Full window including shadows55 days
The April loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 10.18° between 29°28′ Aries and 9°39′ 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
Mars
in Libra —
Apr 15 to Apr 27, 1997 (13 days of overlap)
Pluto
in Sagittarius —
Apr 15 to May 8, 1997 (24 days of overlap)
Neptune
in Capricorn —
May 1 to May 8, 1997 (7 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Aug 17, 1997, 7:49 PM UTC at
16°13′ Virgo
Stations direct
Sep 10, 1997, 1:42 AM UTC at
2°42′ Virgo
Shadow opens
Jul 29, 1997, 5:00 AM UTC
(20 days before)
Shadow closes
Sep 24, 1997, 8:10 AM UTC
(14 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The August loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 13.53° between 2°42′ Virgo and 16°13′ Virgo three times: forward in the pre-shadow (20 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.
It begins in Leo season and ends in
Virgo season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Jupiter
in Aquarius —
Aug 17 to Sep 10, 1997 (23 days of overlap)
Saturn
in Aries —
Aug 17 to Sep 10, 1997 (23 days of overlap)
Uranus
in Aquarius —
Aug 17 to Sep 10, 1997 (23 days of overlap)
Neptune
in Capricorn —
Aug 17 to Sep 10, 1997 (23 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Dec 7, 1997, 4:56 PM UTC at
3°22′ Capricorn
Stations direct
Dec 27, 1997, 11:41 AM UTC at
17°03′ Sagittarius
Shadow opens
Nov 19, 1997, 4:34 PM UTC
(18 days before)
Shadow closes
Jan 15, 1998, 7:32 AM UTC
(19 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The December loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 16.31° between 17°03′ Sagittarius and 3°22′ Capricorn 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 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 Aries —
Dec 7 to Dec 16, 1997 (9 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 1997
Mercury through the zodiac in 1997
Every sign Mercury 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.
AstroHot. “Mercury Retrograde 1997: Until Jan 12, Apr 15, Aug 17, Dec 7.” Accessed October 31, 2026. https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/1997/
For Wikipedia{{cite web |title=Mercury Retrograde 1997: Until Jan 12, Apr 15, Aug 17, Dec 7 |url=https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/1997/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-31}}
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