Mercury retrograde 2011

3 periods, 67 days inside the year — 18.4% of 2011. Station times below are UTC and computed to the minute.

24 days · retreats 11.47°

30 March → 23 April 2011 in Aries

Stations retrograde 30 Mar 2011, 20:40 UTC at 24.2° Aries
Stations direct 23 Apr 2011, 10:01 UTC at 12.72° Aries
Shadow opens 17 Mar 2011 (14 days before)
Shadow closes 11 May 2011 (18 days after)
Full window including shadows 55 days

Mercury retrograde in 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

  • Saturn in Libra — 30 Mar to 23 Apr 2011 (24 days of overlap)
  • Pluto in Capricorn — 9 Apr to 23 Apr 2011 (14 days of overlap)

Read against Aries, and see that sign’s horoscope for the period.

24 days · retreats 12.5°

3 August → 26 August 2011 in Virgo

Stations retrograde 3 Aug 2011, 03:34 UTC at 1.03° Virgo
Stations direct 26 Aug 2011, 22:02 UTC at 18.53° Leo
Shadow opens 15 Jul 2011 (19 days before)
Shadow closes 10 Sep 2011 (14 days after)
Full window including shadows 57 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 Aries — 3 Aug to 26 Aug 2011 (24 days of overlap)
  • Neptune in Pisces — 3 Aug to 26 Aug 2011 (24 days of overlap)
  • Pluto in Capricorn — 3 Aug to 26 Aug 2011 (24 days of overlap)

Read against Virgo, and see that sign’s horoscope for the period.

20 days · retreats 16.27°

24 November → 14 December 2011 in Sagittarius

Stations retrograde 24 Nov 2011, 07:05 UTC at 19.95° Sagittarius
Stations direct 14 Dec 2011, 01:40 UTC at 3.69° Sagittarius
Shadow opens 5 Nov 2011 (19 days before)
Shadow closes 1 Jan 2012 (18 days after)
Full window including shadows 57 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 Sagittarius season, inside a single month of the Sun's year.

Also retrograde at the same time

  • Jupiter in Taurus — 24 Nov to 14 Dec 2011 (20 days of overlap)
  • Uranus in Aries — 24 Nov to 10 Dec 2011 (16 days of overlap)

Read against Sagittarius, and see that sign’s horoscope for the period.

Computed from the actual motion

The nearest Mercury retrogrades either side of 2011

Previous

2010 Ended 30 December 2010 after 20 days, moving back 16.31° through the zodiac.

Next

2012 Begins 12 March 2012 and runs 23 days.

Gap across 2011

1.2 years between the two — long enough for a whole calendar year to fall inside it with nothing to report.

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.

2011 at a glance

Every other retrograde in 2011

Saturn in Libra 26 Jan 2011 – 13 Jun 2011 · 138 days
Pluto in Capricorn 9 Apr 2011 – 16 Sep 2011 · 160 days
Neptune in Pisces 2 Jun 2011 – 9 Nov 2011 · 160 days
Uranus in Aries 9 Jul 2011 – 10 Dec 2011 · 153 days
Jupiter in Taurus 30 Aug 2011 – 25 Dec 2011 · 118 days
← 2010 Mercury retrograde in 2010. All Mercury retrogrades Averages, shadow periods and the sign distribution over fifty years. 2012 → Mercury retrograde in 2012.