Pluto retrograde 1961: 2 periods, 156 days inside the year — 42.7% of 1961. Pluto turned direct at 4:24 AM UTC on May 17 at 5°32′ Virgo, turned retrograde at 11:55 AM UTC on December 12 at 10°07′ Virgo and turned direct at 9:39 AM UTC on May 19, 1962 at 7°31′ Virgo.
Turns direct
May 17 4:24 AM UTC
Turns retrograde
Dec 12 11:55 AM UTC
Retrograde in 1961
156 days 42.7% of the year
Sign
Virgo last loop retreats 2.61°
Pluto’s path through 1961, day by day
Apparent position of Pluto against the zodiac, 1961
RetrogradeShadowR — stations retrograde · D — stations direct
Pluto starts 1961 at 7°27′ Virgo and ends it at 9°30′ Virgo — 2° of net progress: 4.6° forward, 2.6° given back. Its two loops retrace 2.59° and 2.61° (158 and 158 days). Fastest day: Sep 1, 0.034° forward; fastest backward: Feb 21, 0.026°. Counting the shadows, 365 days of 1961 sit inside a retrograde window.
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Exact times
Pluto retrograde 1961: exact times in your city
Pluto turned direct at 4:24 AM UTC on May 17, 1961 at 5°32′ Virgo — 12:24 AM in Santiago, 12:24 AM in New York, 5:24 AM in London and 1:24 PM in Tokyo.
City
Turns direct · May 17, 1961
Turns retrograde · Dec 12, 1961
Turns direct · May 19, 1962
UTC
Wed, May 17, 1961 · 5°32′ Virgo
Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · 10°07′ Virgo
Sat, May 19, 1962 · 7°31′ Virgo
Honolulu United States
6:24 PM Tue, May 16, 1961 · UTC−10
1:55 AM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC−10
11:39 PM Fri, May 18, 1962 · UTC−10
Anchorage United States
6:24 PM Tue, May 16, 1961 · UTC−10
1:55 AM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC−10
11:39 PM Fri, May 18, 1962 · UTC−10
Los Angeles United States
9:24 PM Tue, May 16, 1961 · UTC−7
3:55 AM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC−8
2:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC−7
Phoenix United States
9:24 PM Tue, May 16, 1961 · UTC−7
4:55 AM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC−7
2:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC−7
Denver United States
9:24 PM Tue, May 16, 1961 · UTC−7
4:55 AM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC−7
2:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC−7
Chicago United States
11:24 PM Tue, May 16, 1961 · UTC−5
5:55 AM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC−6
4:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC−5
Mexico City Mexico
10:24 PM Tue, May 16, 1961 · UTC−6
5:55 AM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC−6
3:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC−6
New York United States
12:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC−4
6:55 AM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC−5
5:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC−4
Toronto Canada
12:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC−4
6:55 AM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC−5
5:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC−4
Bogotá Colombia
11:24 PM Tue, May 16, 1961 · UTC−5
6:55 AM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC−5
4:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC−5
Lima Peru
11:24 PM Tue, May 16, 1961 · UTC−5
6:55 AM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC−5
4:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC−5
Caracas Venezuela
11:54 PM Tue, May 16, 1961 · UTC−4:30
7:25 AM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC−4:30
5:09 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC−4:30
Santiago Chile
12:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC−4
7:55 AM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC−4
5:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC−4
Buenos Aires Argentina
1:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC−3
8:55 AM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC−3
6:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC−3
São Paulo Brazil
1:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC−3
8:55 AM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC−3
6:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC−3
Reykjavík Iceland
4:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC
10:55 AM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC−1
9:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC
London United Kingdom
5:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+1
11:55 AM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC
10:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+1
Lagos Nigeria
5:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+1
12:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+1
10:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+1
Paris France
5:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+1
12:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+1
10:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+1
Berlin Germany
5:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+1
12:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+1
10:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+1
Johannesburg South Africa
6:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+2
1:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+2
11:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+2
Cairo Egypt
7:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+3
1:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+2
12:39 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+3
Athens Greece
6:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+2
1:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+2
11:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+2
Istanbul Turkey
6:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+2
1:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+2
11:39 AM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+2
Moscow Russia
7:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+3
2:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+3
12:39 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+3
Nairobi Kenya
7:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+3
2:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+3
12:39 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+3
Tehran Iran
7:54 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+3:30
3:25 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+3:30
1:09 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+3:30
Dubai United Arab Emirates
8:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+4
3:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+4
1:39 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+4
Karachi Pakistan
9:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+5
4:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+5
2:39 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+5
New Delhi India
9:54 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+5:30
5:25 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+5:30
3:09 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+5:30
Kathmandu Nepal
9:54 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+5:30
5:25 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+5:30
3:09 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+5:30
Dhaka Bangladesh
10:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+6
5:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+6
3:39 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+6
Bangkok Thailand
11:24 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+7
6:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+7
4:39 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+7
Jakarta Indonesia
11:54 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+7:30
7:25 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+7:30
5:09 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+7:30
Singapore
11:54 AM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+7:30
7:25 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+7:30
5:09 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+7:30
Beijing China
12:24 PM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+8
7:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+8
5:39 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+8
Manila Philippines
12:24 PM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+8
7:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+8
5:39 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+8
Perth Australia
12:24 PM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+8
7:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+8
5:39 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+8
Seoul South Korea
12:54 PM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+8:30
8:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+9
6:39 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+9
Tokyo Japan
1:24 PM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+9
8:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+9
6:39 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+9
Adelaide Australia
1:54 PM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+9:30
9:25 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+9:30
7:09 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+9:30
Brisbane Australia
2:24 PM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+10
9:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+10
7:39 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+10
Sydney Australia
2:24 PM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+10
9:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+10
7:39 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+10
Auckland New Zealand
4:24 PM Wed, May 17, 1961 · UTC+12
11:55 PM Tue, Dec 12, 1961 · UTC+12
9:39 PM Sat, May 19, 1962 · UTC+12
Stations from the NASA JPL DE440 ephemeris. Swiss Ephemeris agrees on every Pluto station 1900–2050: median 1.1 minutes, largest 16.1 minutes. Near a station Pluto barely moves, so almanacs differ by minutes. Local times: IANA time zones, to the minute.
158 days · retreats 2.59°
· crosses the year boundary
December 10, 1960 → May 17, 1961 in Virgo
Stations retrograde
Dec 10, 1960, 4:39 AM UTC at
8°07′ Virgo
Stations direct
May 17, 1961, 4:24 AM UTC at
5°32′ Virgo
Shadow opens
Aug 19, 1960, 2:04 AM UTC
(113 days before)
Shadow closes
Sep 8, 1961, 2:17 PM UTC
(114 days after)
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 1961
Pluto through the zodiac in 1961
Every sign Pluto occupies during 1961, 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. “Pluto Retrograde 1961 Dates: Until May 17, From Dec 12.” Accessed October 31, 2026. https://astrohot.com/retrograde/pluto/1961/
For Wikipedia{{cite web |title=Pluto Retrograde 1961 Dates: Until May 17, From Dec 12 |url=https://astrohot.com/retrograde/pluto/1961/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-31}}
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