Retrogrades
In 2016, Mercury is retrograde 4 times: from January 5 to January 25, from April 28 to May 22, from August 30 to September 22, from December 19 to January 8, 2017. Venus does not go retrograde this year. Mars: from April 17 to June 30. London time.
from January 5 to January 25
Stops and turns back on January 5 at 13:05, at 1°02' Aquarius
Moves forward again on January 25 at 21:49, at 14°54' Capricorn
Shadow: from December 19, 2015 to February 14; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from April 28 to May 22
Stops and turns back on April 28 at 18:19, at 23°36' Taurus
Moves forward again on May 22 at 14:19, at 14°20' Taurus
Shadow: from April 14 to June 7; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from August 30 to September 22
Stops and turns back on August 30 at 14:03, at 29°04' Virgo
Moves forward again on September 22 at 06:30, at 14°49' Virgo
Shadow: from August 10 to October 6; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from December 19 to January 8, 2017
Stops and turns back on December 19 at 10:55, at 15°07' Capricorn
Moves forward again on January 8, 2017 at 09:42, at 28°50' Sagittarius
Shadow: from December 2 to January 27, 2017; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
No retrograde this year.
from April 17 to June 30
Stops and turns back on April 17 at 13:13, at 8°54' Sagittarius
Moves forward again on June 30 at 00:38, at 23°03' Scorpio
Shadow: from February 18 to August 22; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from January 8 to May 9
Stops and turns back on January 8 at 04:40, at 23°14' Virgo
Moves forward again on May 9 at 13:14, at 13°15' Virgo
from March 25 to August 13
Stops and turns back on March 25 at 10:00, at 16°24' Sagittarius
Moves forward again on August 13 at 10:49, at 9°46' Sagittarius
from July 29 to December 29
Stops and turns back on July 29 at 22:06, at 24°30' Aries
Moves forward again on December 29 at 09:28, at 20°33' Aries
from June 13 to November 20
Stops and turns back on June 13 at 21:42, at 12°02' Pisces
Moves forward again on November 20 at 04:37, at 9°14' Pisces
from April 18 to September 26
Stops and turns back on April 18 at 08:25, at 17°29' Capricorn
Moves forward again on September 26 at 16:01, at 14°55' Capricorn
In 2016, Mercury is retrograde 4 times: from January 5 to January 25, from April 28 to May 22, from August 30 to September 22, from December 19 to January 8, 2017. London time.
Venus does not go retrograde this year.
Yes: from April 17 to June 30. London time.
A planet never moves backwards. But Earth and the planet orbit the Sun at different speeds: when one overtakes the other, the planet, seen from here, seems to slow down, stop, back up for a few weeks, then move forward again. It's a perspective effect, regular and predictable centuries in advance.
In astrology, a retrograde planet invites you to go back over what it stands for: for Mercury, the planet of communication, it's a time to reread, review and repair rather than start something new. It's a symbolic reading: nothing proves that Mercury retrograde makes devices break down, but the advice to reread before you hit send always helps.
The shadow, for Mercury, Venus and Mars: the planet covers the same degrees three times, moving forward, backward, then forward again. Some astrologers already see the retrograde's theme in the shadow: a build-up before, a wrap-up after.
A station is the moment the planet seems to stop in the sky, before backing up or moving forward again. We look for it day by day, then refine it to the second with the Swiss Ephemeris (NASA ephemerides); the dates are checked against a second, independent calculation (Skyfield).