Mercury retrograde 2004: 4 periods, 73 days inside the year — 19.8% of 2004. Mercury turned direct at 1:44 PM UTC on January 6 at 26°16′ Sagittarius and turned retrograde at 8:27 PM UTC on April 6 at 1°55′ Taurus. The other 5 stations are in the table below.
Turns direct
Jan 6 1:44 PM UTC
Loops in 2004
4 retrograde periods
Retrograde in 2004
73 days 19.8% of the year
Signs
Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo, Sagittarius last loop retreats 16.29°
Mercury’s path through 2004, day by day
Apparent position of Mercury against the zodiac, Dec 11, 2003 – Dec 31, 2004
RetrogradeShadowR — stations retrograde · D — stations direct
Mercury starts 2004 at 28°48′ Sagittarius and ends it at 18°23′ Sagittarius — 349.6° of net progress: 392.2° forward, 42.6° given back. Its four loops retrace 16.29°, 10.81°, 13.04° and 16.29° (20, 24, 24 and 20 days). Fastest day: Jun 17, 2.2° forward; fastest backward: Dec 10, 1.38°. Counting the shadows, 187 days of 2004 sit inside a retrograde window.
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Exact times
Mercury retrograde 2004: exact times in your city
Mercury turned direct at 1:44 PM UTC on January 6, 2004 at 26°16′ Sagittarius — 10:44 AM in Santiago, 8:44 AM in New York, 1:44 PM in London and 10:44 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 16.29°
· crosses the year boundary
December 17, 2003 → January 6, 2004 in Capricorn
Stations retrograde
Dec 17, 2003, 4:01 PM UTC at
12°33′ Capricorn
Stations direct
Jan 6, 2004, 1:44 PM UTC at
26°16′ Sagittarius
Shadow opens
Nov 30, 2003, 3:16 AM UTC
(18 days before)
Shadow closes
Jan 25, 2004, 7:07 PM UTC
(19 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The December loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 16.29° between 26°16′ Sagittarius and 12°33′ 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 Cancer —
Dec 17 to Jan 6, 2004 (20 days of overlap)
Jupiter
in Virgo —
Jan 3 to Jan 6, 2004 (3 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Apr 6, 2004, 8:27 PM UTC at
1°55′ Taurus
Stations direct
Apr 30, 2004, 1:05 PM UTC at
21°07′ Aries
Shadow opens
Mar 24, 2004, 2:10 AM UTC
(14 days before)
Shadow closes
May 18, 2004, 1:34 AM UTC
(18 days after)
Full window including shadows55 days
The April loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 10.81° between 21°07′ Aries and 1°55′ Taurus three times: forward in the pre-shadow (14 days), back while retrograde (24 days), forward again in the post-shadow (18 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 Virgo —
Apr 6 to Apr 30, 2004 (24 days of overlap)
Pluto
in Sagittarius —
Apr 6 to Apr 30, 2004 (24 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Aug 10, 2004, 12:33 AM UTC at
8°46′ Virgo
Stations direct
Sep 2, 2004, 1:09 PM UTC at
25°44′ Leo
Shadow opens
Jul 21, 2004, 5:37 PM UTC
(19 days before)
Shadow closes
Sep 16, 2004, 4:52 PM UTC
(14 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The August loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 13.04° between 25°44′ Leo and 8°46′ Virgo three times: forward in the pre-shadow (19 days), back while retrograde (24 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
Uranus
in Pisces —
Aug 10 to Sep 2, 2004 (24 days of overlap)
Neptune
in Aquarius —
Aug 10 to Sep 2, 2004 (24 days of overlap)
Pluto
in Sagittarius —
Aug 10 to Aug 30, 2004 (21 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Nov 30, 2004, 12:17 PM UTC at
26°44′ Sagittarius
Stations direct
Dec 20, 2004, 6:29 AM UTC at
10°27′ Sagittarius
Shadow opens
Nov 12, 2004, 3:38 AM UTC
(18 days before)
Shadow closes
Jan 7, 2005, 6:14 PM UTC
(18 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The November loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 16.29° between 10°27′ Sagittarius and 26°44′ Sagittarius three times: forward in the pre-shadow (18 days), back while retrograde (20 days), forward again in the post-shadow (18 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 and ends within Sagittarius season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Saturn
in Cancer —
Nov 30 to Dec 20, 2004 (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 2004
Mercury through the zodiac in 2004
Every sign Mercury occupies during 2004, 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 2004: Until Jan 6, Apr 6, Aug 10, Nov 30.” Accessed October 30, 2026. https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/2004/
For Wikipedia{{cite web |title=Mercury Retrograde 2004: Until Jan 6, Apr 6, Aug 10, Nov 30 |url=https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/2004/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-30}}
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