When will Mercury retrograde in 2012?

Interior planets Seem to move retrograde or turn around when either the Earth passes the interior planet or the interior planet catches up to and passes Earth in it's lower orbit around the sun. When Mercury goes retrograde is a PERIOD of time, NOT AN INSTANT OF TIME, like maximum elongation from the Sun is. Mercury maximum elongation dates 2012 "...Mar 05 09:34 Mercury at greatest elongation E (18.2°) ... ...Apr 18 17:22 Mercury at greatest elongation W (27.5°) ... ...Jul 01 01:57 Mercury at greatest elongation E (25.7°) ... ...Aug 16 12:03 Mercury at greatest elongation W (18.7°) ... ...Oct 26 22:11 Mercury at greatest elongation E (24.1°) ... ...Dec 04 22:48 Mercury at greatest elongation W (20.6°) ..." http://www.astronomia.org/2012/fenogeoc.en.html http://www.astronomyhouston.org/events/1330938000/mercury-greatest-elongation-east Maximum EASTERN elongation means Mercury is visible around that date after sunset. Maximum WESTERN elongation means Mercury is visible before dawn around that date. The dates and times ARE consistent as long as you can correct for the differences in time zones correctly and understand/comprehend daylight savings time (DST). http://www.nakedeyeplanets.com/movements.htm "...Week 3 (October 4-8) : Lecture 9 (October 4): Motions of Planets on the Sky. Homework 1 handed out. Assigned Reading: Sections 4.1, 4.2. Summary: Interior planets are always seen close to the Sun, they reach a maximum eastern and western elongation from the Sun. Interior planets are at superior conjunction when they are behind the Sun, and inferior conjunction when they are in front of the Sun. Exterior planets are at conjunction when they are behind the Sun, and at opposition when they are opposed to the Sun. They show retrograde motion when they are in opposition. Key Questions: If you see Venus in the evening, will its next conjunction be inferior or superior? Can you ever see Mercury next to the Full Moon? During what part of the day and night can you see Jupiter when it is in opposition? When does Mars look faintest? Does Saturn show retrograde motion? ..." http://www.am.ub.edu/~jmiralda/ast161/syllabus.html