Retrograde dates for 1978

These are the exact dates every planet from Mercury to Pluto turns retrograde and turns direct in 1978, in Universal Time. Mercury is retrograde from 1 April 1978 to 25 April 1978, and from 4 August 1978 to 28 August 1978, and from 25 November 1978 to 15 December 1978.

• Mercury retrograde1 April to 25 April, 4 August to 28 August, 25 November to 15 December
• Venus retrograde18 October to 28 November
• Mars retrograde12 December 1977 to 2 March
• Jupiter retrograde24 October 1977 to 20 February, 25 November to 26 March 1979
• Saturn retrograde11 December 1977 to 25 April, 24 December to 9 May 1979
• Uranus retrograde19 February to 21 July

Mercury retrograde in 1978

Mercury is retrograde in 3 periods touching 1978.

• Saturday 1 April 197816:18 UTMercury turns retrograde at 26°08′ Aries
• Tuesday 25 April 197806:40 UTMercury turns direct at 14°52′ Aries
• Friday 4 August 197822:50 UTMercury turns retrograde at 3°00′ Virgo
• Monday 28 August 197815:37 UTMercury turns direct at 20°20′ Leo
• Saturday 25 November 197821:29 UTMercury turns retrograde at 21°37′ Sagittarius
• Friday 15 December 197815:50 UTMercury turns direct at 5°21′ Sagittarius

Venus retrograde in 1978

Venus is retrograde in 1 period touching 1978.

• Wednesday 18 October 197804:41 UTVenus turns retrograde at 22°48′ Scorpio
• Tuesday 28 November 197813:48 UTVenus turns direct at 7°20′ Scorpio

Mars retrograde in 1978

Mars is retrograde in 1 period touching 1978.

• Before 1978Mars turned retrograde on 12 December 1977 and is still retrograde on 1 January 1978
• Thursday 2 March 197809:19 UTMars turns direct at 22°17′ Cancer

Jupiter retrograde in 1978

Jupiter is retrograde in 2 periods touching 1978.

• Before 1978Jupiter turned retrograde on 24 October 1977 and is still retrograde on 1 January 1978
• Monday 20 February 197801:21 UTJupiter turns direct at 26°04′ Gemini
• Saturday 25 November 197820:28 UTJupiter turns retrograde at 9°03′ Leo
• After 1978Jupiter turns direct on 26 March 1979 and is still retrograde on 31 December 1978

Saturn retrograde in 1978

Saturn is retrograde in 2 periods touching 1978.

• Before 1978Saturn turned retrograde on 11 December 1977 and is still retrograde on 1 January 1978
• Tuesday 25 April 197812:17 UTSaturn turns direct at 23°39′ Leo
• Sunday 24 December 197821:14 UTSaturn turns retrograde at 13°56′ Virgo
• After 1978Saturn turns direct on 9 May 1979 and is still retrograde on 31 December 1978

Uranus retrograde in 1978

Uranus is retrograde in 1 period touching 1978.

• Sunday 19 February 197815:39 UTUranus turns retrograde at 16°24′ Scorpio
• Friday 21 July 197810:05 UTUranus turns direct at 12°18′ Scorpio

Neptune retrograde in 1978

Neptune is retrograde in 1 period touching 1978.

• Monday 20 March 197818:46 UTNeptune turns retrograde at 18°19′ Sagittarius
• Monday 28 August 197800:23 UTNeptune turns direct at 15°32′ Sagittarius

Pluto retrograde in 1978

Pluto is retrograde in 1 period touching 1978.

• Wednesday 18 January 197820:58 UTPluto turns retrograde at 16°42′ Libra
• Saturday 24 June 197803:23 UTPluto turns direct at 13°54′ Libra

What “retrograde” means here

A planet is retrograde when its ecliptic longitude, seen from the Earth, is decreasing: it appears to move backwards against the stars. A station is the moment it appears to stop before changing direction. The Sun and the Moon never turn retrograde. Each date above is a station computed to the minute.

What these dates are worth

Every time on this page is computed by the engine that casts the charts, not copied from a table. All times are Universal Time (UT), so a date can fall a day either side of your own clock: add your time zone's offset to get local time. The Moon is checked against NASA and JPL values and the planets against published station and ingress dates; the table of what Umbriel checks, and how close it comes is public. Umbriel is for reflection and self-understanding, not prediction.

Moon phases 1978 · Ephemeris 1978 · Retrograde calendar · Sky events ahead