Year transit calendar
Mercury Transit 2016 | Gochar Dates
Exact rashi entry and exit timings for Mercury in 2016. Sidereal Lahiri gochar for planning and study.
Mercury changes sign 15 times in 2016, about every 24 days. It starts the year in Capricorn and ends it in Sagittarius.
The exact times are in the table below.
New Delhi · Ayanamsa (Lahiri) · Rahu/Ketu: true lunar nodes
| enters | Time |
|---|---|
| Sagittariusfrom Capricorn · Retrograde | |
| Capricornfrom Sagittarius | |
| Aquariusfrom Capricorn | |
| Piscesfrom Aquarius | |
| Ariesfrom Pisces | |
| Taurusfrom Aries | |
| Geminifrom Taurus | |
| Cancerfrom Gemini | |
| Leofrom Cancer | |
| Virgofrom Leo | |
| Leofrom Virgo · Retrograde | |
| Virgofrom Leo | |
| Librafrom Virgo | |
| Scorpiofrom Libra | |
| Sagittariusfrom Scorpio |
Mercury transit 2016: key points
- In 2016, Mercury changes sign 15 times. The first ingress is on Thursday, 14 January 2016, from Capricorn to Sagittarius, and the last is on Monday, 28 November 2016, into Sagittarius.
- The longest stay this year is in Aries, about 66 days.
- The shortest complete stay is in Gemini, about 14 days.
- 2 of these ingresses happen while the planet is retrograde, meaning it moves back into an earlier sign.
Mercury in 2016: time spent in each sign
| Sign | From | Until | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capricorn | 1 January (from last year) | Thursday, 14 January 2016 | 13 |
| Sagittarius (retrograde) | Thursday, 14 January 2016 | Tuesday, 9 February 2016 | 25 |
| Capricorn | Tuesday, 9 February 2016 | Wednesday, 2 March 2016 | 22 |
| Aquarius | Wednesday, 2 March 2016 | Saturday, 19 March 2016 | 17 |
| Pisces | Saturday, 19 March 2016 | Sunday, 3 April 2016 | 15 |
| Aries | Sunday, 3 April 2016 | Wednesday, 8 June 2016 | 66 |
| Taurus | Wednesday, 8 June 2016 | Monday, 27 June 2016 | 19 |
| Gemini | Monday, 27 June 2016 | Monday, 11 July 2016 | 14 |
| Cancer | Monday, 11 July 2016 | Wednesday, 27 July 2016 | 16 |
| Leo | Wednesday, 27 July 2016 | Friday, 19 August 2016 | 23 |
| Virgo | Friday, 19 August 2016 | Friday, 9 September 2016 | 21 |
| Leo (retrograde) | Friday, 9 September 2016 | Monday, 3 October 2016 | 24 |
| Virgo | Monday, 3 October 2016 | Friday, 21 October 2016 | 18 |
| Libra | Friday, 21 October 2016 | Wednesday, 9 November 2016 | 18 |
| Scorpio | Wednesday, 9 November 2016 | Monday, 28 November 2016 | 20 |
| Sagittarius | Monday, 28 November 2016 | Continues after the year | 33 |
Day counts cover the calendar year only; a stay that spans the year boundary lasts longer in total.
How to read Mercury transits
Mercury is never far from the Sun and spends about 14 to 30 days in a sign, longer around its three or four retrograde periods each year. It can re-enter a sign it has just left.
Mercury rules speech, intellect, commerce, writing and travel. Its transit is read for communication, contracts, study and trade.
Pay closest attention to the dates marked retrograde. Many astrologers avoid signing major agreements or starting new ventures while Mercury is retrograde.
These Mercury gochar dates for 2016 use Lahiri ayanamsa and true lunar nodes. For dasha–transit interpretation relative to a birth chart, book a personal reading.
Planet Transit FAQ
How Vedic gochar timings are calculated and how to read this table.
What is planetary transit (gochar) in Vedic astrology?
Gochar is the current movement of the Navagraha through the sidereal zodiac. When a planet crosses into a new rashi, that exact local datetime is the transit (ingress) timing used for timing analysis.
Which ayanamsa do you use?
All positions use the Lahiri (Chitrapaksha) ayanamsa — the same system as our daily Panchang — so Sun and Moon signs stay consistent across tools.
Does my city change planet positions?
Geocentric sidereal longitudes are the same worldwide at a given UTC instant. Your city only converts that instant into local clock time (with DST when applicable).
Are Rahu and Ketu mean or true nodes?
We use true lunar nodes for Rahu and Ketu. Ketu is always opposite Rahu (180° apart).
How accurate are these timings?
Ingress times are computed with modern astronomical models and refined to about one second. Outer planets usually agree with major panchangs within minutes; Moon and nodes can differ slightly between softwares. Use them for planning; verify ritual-critical muhurta separately if needed.