Mercury retrograde 2016: 4 periods, 79 days inside the year — 21.7% of 2016. Mercury turned retrograde at 1:06 PM UTC on January 5 at 1°02′ Aquarius and turned direct at 9:50 PM UTC on January 25 at 14°54′ Capricorn. The other 6 stations are in the table below.
Turns retrograde
Jan 5 1:06 PM UTC
Loops in 2016
4 retrograde periods
Retrograde in 2016
79 days 21.7% of the year
Signs
Aquarius, Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn last loop retreats 16.28°
Mercury’s path through 2016, day by day
Apparent position of Mercury against the zodiac, Dec 30, 2015 – Jan 14, 2017
RetrogradeShadowR — stations retrograde · D — stations direct
Mercury starts 2016 at 29°16′ Capricorn and ends it at 3°16′ Capricorn — 334° of net progress: 385.4° forward, 51.4° given back. Its four loops retrace 16.13°, 9.26°, 14.25° and 16.28° (20, 24, 23 and 20 days). Fastest day: Jul 3, 2.17° forward; fastest backward: Dec 29, 1.36°. Counting the shadows, 186 days of 2016 sit inside a retrograde window.
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Exact times
Mercury retrograde 2016: exact times in your city
Mercury turned retrograde at 1:06 PM UTC on January 5, 2016 at 1°02′ Aquarius — 10:06 AM in Santiago, 8:06 AM in New York, 1:06 PM in London and 10:06 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 16.13°
January 5 → January 25, 2016 in Aquarius
Stations retrograde
Jan 5, 2016, 1:06 PM UTC at
1°02′ Aquarius
Stations direct
Jan 25, 2016, 9:50 PM UTC at
14°54′ Capricorn
Shadow opens
Dec 19, 2015, 11:32 PM UTC
(17 days before)
Shadow closes
Feb 14, 2016, 6:35 PM UTC
(20 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The January loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 16.13° between 14°54′ Capricorn and 1°02′ Aquarius 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 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.
Also retrograde at the same time
Jupiter
in Virgo —
Jan 8 to Jan 25, 2016 (18 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Apr 28, 2016, 5:20 PM UTC at
23°36′ Taurus
Stations direct
May 22, 2016, 1:20 PM UTC at
14°20′ Taurus
Shadow opens
Apr 14, 2016, 6:09 PM UTC
(14 days before)
Shadow closes
Jun 7, 2016, 5:47 PM UTC
(16 days after)
Full window including shadows54 days
The April loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 9.26° between 14°20′ Taurus and 23°36′ 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
Mars
in Sagittarius —
Apr 28 to May 22, 2016 (24 days of overlap)
Jupiter
in Virgo —
Apr 28 to May 9, 2016 (11 days of overlap)
Saturn
in Sagittarius —
Apr 28 to May 22, 2016 (24 days of overlap)
Pluto
in Capricorn —
Apr 28 to May 22, 2016 (24 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Aug 30, 2016, 1:04 PM UTC at
29°04′ Virgo
Stations direct
Sep 22, 2016, 5:31 AM UTC at
14°49′ Virgo
Shadow opens
Aug 10, 2016, 11:24 AM UTC
(20 days before)
Shadow closes
Oct 6, 2016, 6:18 PM UTC
(15 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The August loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 14.25° between 14°49′ Virgo and 29°04′ Virgo three times: forward in the pre-shadow (20 days), back while retrograde (23 days), forward again in the post-shadow (15 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 and ends within Virgo season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Uranus
in Aries —
Aug 30 to Sep 22, 2016 (23 days of overlap)
Neptune
in Pisces —
Aug 30 to Sep 22, 2016 (23 days of overlap)
Pluto
in Capricorn —
Aug 30 to Sep 22, 2016 (23 days of overlap)
20 days · retreats 16.28°
· crosses the year boundary
December 19, 2016 → January 8, 2017 in Capricorn
Stations retrograde
Dec 19, 2016, 10:55 AM UTC at
15°07′ Capricorn
Stations direct
Jan 8, 2017, 9:43 AM UTC at
28°51′ Sagittarius
Shadow opens
Dec 2, 2016, 1:18 AM UTC
(17 days before)
Shadow closes
Jan 27, 2017, 5:29 PM UTC
(19 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The December loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 16.28° between 28°51′ Sagittarius and 15°07′ Capricorn three times: forward in the pre-shadow (17 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
Uranus
in Aries —
Dec 19 to Dec 29, 2016 (10 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 2016
Mercury through the zodiac in 2016
Every sign Mercury occupies during 2016, 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 2016 Dates: Jan 5, Apr 28, Aug 30, Dec 19.” Accessed October 28, 2026. https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/2016/
For Wikipedia{{cite web |title=Mercury Retrograde 2016 Dates: Jan 5, Apr 28, Aug 30, Dec 19 |url=https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/2016/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-28}}
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