Mercury retrograde 2011: 3 periods, 67 days inside the year — 18.4% of 2011. Mercury turned retrograde at 8:48 PM UTC on March 30 at 24°21′ Aries and turned direct at 10:04 AM UTC on April 23 at 12°53′ Aries. The other four stations are in the table below.
Turns retrograde
Mar 30 8:48 PM UTC
Loops in 2011
3 retrograde periods
Retrograde in 2011
67 days 18.4% of the year
Signs
Aries, Virgo, Sagittarius last loop retreats 16.27°
Mercury’s path through 2011, day by day
Apparent position of Mercury against the zodiac, 2011
RetrogradeShadowR — stations retrograde · D — stations direct
Mercury starts 2011 at 19°50′ Sagittarius and ends it at 19°49′ Sagittarius — 360° of net progress: 400.2° forward, 40.2° given back. Its three loops retrace 11.47°, 12.5° and 16.27° (24, 24 and 20 days). Fastest day: Jun 11, 2.2° forward; fastest backward: Dec 4, 1.38°. Counting the shadows, 186 days of 2011 sit inside a retrograde window.
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Exact times
Mercury retrograde 2011: exact times in your city
Mercury turned retrograde at 8:48 PM UTC on March 30, 2011 at 24°21′ Aries — 5:48 PM in Santiago, 4:48 PM in New York, 9:48 PM in London and 5:48 AM on March 31 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.
24 days · retreats 11.47°
March 30 → April 23, 2011 in Aries
Stations retrograde
Mar 30, 2011, 8:48 PM UTC at
24°21′ Aries
Stations direct
Apr 23, 2011, 10:04 AM UTC at
12°53′ Aries
Shadow opens
Mar 17, 2011, 1:51 AM UTC
(14 days before)
Shadow closes
May 11, 2011, 10:22 AM UTC
(18 days after)
Full window including shadows55 days
The March loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 11.47° between 12°53′ Aries and 24°21′ Aries 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 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 —
Mar 30 to Apr 23, 2011 (24 days of overlap)
Pluto
in Capricorn —
Apr 9 to Apr 23, 2011 (14 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Aug 3, 2011, 3:50 AM UTC at
1°11′ Virgo
Stations direct
Aug 26, 2011, 10:03 PM UTC at
18°41′ Leo
Shadow opens
Jul 15, 2011, 6:15 AM UTC
(19 days before)
Shadow closes
Sep 10, 2011, 12:16 AM UTC
(14 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The August loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 12.5° between 18°41′ Leo and 1°11′ 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 Aries —
Aug 3 to Aug 26, 2011 (24 days of overlap)
Neptune
in Pisces —
Aug 3 to Aug 26, 2011 (24 days of overlap)
Pluto
in Capricorn —
Aug 3 to Aug 26, 2011 (24 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Nov 24, 2011, 7:19 AM UTC at
20°07′ Sagittarius
Stations direct
Dec 14, 2011, 1:43 AM UTC at
3°51′ Sagittarius
Shadow opens
Nov 5, 2011, 2:15 PM UTC
(19 days before)
Shadow closes
Jan 1, 2012, 5:09 AM UTC
(18 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The November loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 16.27° between 3°51′ Sagittarius and 20°07′ Sagittarius three times: forward in the pre-shadow (19 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
Jupiter
in Taurus —
Nov 24 to Dec 14, 2011 (20 days of overlap)
Uranus
in Aries —
Nov 24 to Dec 10, 2011 (16 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 2011
Mercury through the zodiac in 2011
Every sign Mercury occupies during 2011, 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 2011 Dates: Mar 30, Aug 3, Nov 24.” Accessed October 30, 2026. https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/2011/
For Wikipedia{{cite web |title=Mercury Retrograde 2011 Dates: Mar 30, Aug 3, Nov 24 |url=https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/2011/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-30}}
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