Retrogrades
In 2017, Mercury is retrograde 4 times: from December 19, 2016 to January 8, from April 10 to May 3, from August 13 to September 5, from December 3 to December 23. Venus: from March 4 to April 15. Mars does not go retrograde this year. London time.
from December 19, 2016 to January 8
Stops and turns back on December 19, 2016 at 10:55, at 15°07' Capricorn
Moves forward again on January 8 at 09:42, at 28°50' Sagittarius
Shadow: from December 2, 2016 to January 27; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from April 10 to May 3
Stops and turns back on April 10 at 00:14, at 4°50' Taurus
Moves forward again on May 3 at 17:32, at 24°15' Aries
Shadow: from March 27 to May 21; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from August 13 to September 5
Stops and turns back on August 13 at 02:00, at 11°38' Virgo
Moves forward again on September 5 at 12:29, at 28°25' Leo
Shadow: from July 24 to September 19; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from December 3 to December 23
Stops and turns back on December 3 at 07:34, at 29°18' Sagittarius
Moves forward again on December 23 at 01:50, at 13°00' Sagittarius
Shadow: from November 15 to January 10, 2018; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from March 4 to April 15
Stops and turns back on March 4 at 09:08, at 13°08' Aries
Moves forward again on April 15 at 11:17, at 26°54' Pisces
Shadow: from January 30 to May 18; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
No retrograde this year.
from February 6 to June 9
Stops and turns back on February 6 at 06:52, at 23°08' Libra
Moves forward again on June 9 at 15:02, at 13°12' Libra
from April 6 to August 25
Stops and turns back on April 6 at 06:05, at 27°47' Sagittarius
Moves forward again on August 25 at 13:08, at 21°10' Sagittarius
from August 3 to January 2, 2018
Stops and turns back on August 3 at 06:30, at 28°31' Aries
Moves forward again on January 2, 2018 at 14:10, at 24°34' Aries
from June 16 to November 22
Stops and turns back on June 16 at 12:10, at 14°15' Pisces
Moves forward again on November 22 at 14:20, at 11°27' Pisces
from April 20 to September 28
Stops and turns back on April 20 at 13:48, at 19°23' Capricorn
Moves forward again on September 28 at 20:35, at 16°51' Capricorn
In 2017, Mercury is retrograde 4 times: from December 19, 2016 to January 8, from April 10 to May 3, from August 13 to September 5, from December 3 to December 23. London time.
Yes: from March 4 to April 15. London time.
Mars does not go retrograde this year.
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).