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Mercury Retrograde 2026 & 2027: Exact Dates and Times
In 2026, Mercury is retrograde three times: February 26 – March 20, June 29 – July 23 and October 24 – November 13. The next retrograde begins on October 24, 2026, 07:12 UTC in Scorpio.
Station times are solved to the second and agree with NASA JPL data to well under a minute.
See all datesMercury's path through the October 24 – November 13 cycle
Is Mercury retrograde now?
No
Mercury is direct
The next retrograde begins on October 24, 2026, 07:12 UTC in Scorpio.
This cycle
- Shadow beginsOct 4, 202609:09 UTC
- Stations retrogradeOct 24, 202607:12 UTC
- Stations directNov 13, 202615:53 UTC
- Shadow endsNov 30, 202606:16 UTC
Mercury now29°44′Libra· direct · 1.34° a day
Computed September 30, 2026, 06:59 UTC
Sign by sign
Mercury retrograde 2026: what each period is about
The sign in which Mercury turns around hints at the area of life where old topics tend to come back. Here is how the 2026 periods read:
February 26 – March 20
In Pisces the line between facts and feelings blurs. A good time for rest, creativity and intuition, and for double-checking details.
Water sign
June 29 – July 23
In Cancer family matters, home and old memories surface. A good time for honest talks with the people closest to you.
Water sign
October 24 – November 13
In Scorpio hidden motives, shared finances and deep feelings surface. A time for candid conversations and for closing old questions.
Water sign
All of this year's periods fall in water signs, so the thread running through 2026 is emotional honesty.
Year at a glance
Retrograde planets in 2026 and 2027
The solid bar is the retrograde motion itself; the faint bar around it is the shadow before and after.
Every period
All Mercury retrograde dates 2025–2028
A station is the moment Mercury stands still and reverses direction. The degree next to each date is where it stations.
| Stations retrograde | Stations direct | Shadow period | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | |||
Mar 15, 2025 · 06:46 UTC9°35′ Aries | Apr 7, 2025 · 11:07 UTC26°50′ Pisces | Mar 1, 2025 – Apr 26, 2025 | 23 |
Jul 18, 2025 · 04:44 UTC15°35′ Leo | Aug 11, 2025 · 07:29 UTC4°15′ Leo | Jun 30, 2025 – Aug 25, 2025 | 24 |
Nov 9, 2025 · 19:01 UTC6°52′ Sagittarius | Nov 29, 2025 · 17:38 UTC20°42′ Scorpio | Oct 21, 2025 – Dec 17, 2025 | 20 |
| 2026 | |||
Feb 26, 2026 · 06:48 UTC22°34′ Pisces | Mar 20, 2026 · 19:32 UTC8°29′ Pisces | Feb 11, 2026 – Apr 9, 2026 | 23 |
Jun 29, 2026 · 17:35 UTC26°15′ Cancer | Jul 23, 2026 · 22:57 UTC16°19′ Cancer | Jun 13, 2026 – Aug 7, 2026 | 24 |
Oct 24, 2026 · 07:12 UTC20°59′ Scorpio Next | Nov 13, 2026 · 15:53 UTC5°02′ Scorpio | Oct 4, 2026 – Nov 30, 2026 | 20 |
| 2027 | |||
Feb 9, 2027 · 17:36 UTC5°59′ Pisces | Mar 3, 2027 · 12:31 UTC20°55′ Aquarius | Jan 25, 2027 – Mar 23, 2027 | 22 |
Jun 10, 2027 · 18:15 UTC6°22′ Cancer | Jul 4, 2027 · 19:39 UTC27°28′ Gemini | May 26, 2027 – Jul 19, 2027 | 24 |
Oct 7, 2027 · 14:37 UTC4°56′ Scorpio | Oct 28, 2027 · 14:10 UTC19°19′ Libra | Sep 17, 2027 – Nov 13, 2027 | 21 |
| 2028 | |||
Jan 24, 2028 · 11:02 UTC19°42′ Aquarius | Feb 14, 2028 · 12:37 UTC3°59′ Aquarius | Jan 8, 2028 – Mar 5, 2028 | 21 |
May 21, 2028 · 08:42 UTC16°19′ Gemini | Jun 14, 2028 · 06:05 UTC7°45′ Gemini | May 6, 2028 – Jun 29, 2028 | 24 |
Sep 19, 2028 · 16:33 UTC18°36′ Libra | Oct 11, 2028 · 10:27 UTC3°29′ Libra | Aug 30, 2028 – Oct 26, 2028 | 22 |
All times are in UTC, to the minute.
What Mercury retrograde means
"Retrograde" means "moving backwards". Mercury never actually reverses its orbit. It circles the Sun in 88 days, far faster than Earth, and three or four times a year it overtakes us on the inside track. Seen from Earth during those weeks, it seems to slow down, stand still, slide back a few degrees through the zodiac, stand still again and then move on. The standstills are called stations.
In astrology Mercury rules thinking, speech, writing, learning, trade, short trips and all the technology we use to exchange information. That is why the retrograde phase is traditionally read as a time for review rather than fresh starts: Mercury's topics come back so they can be finished, clarified or corrected.
Nothing in the sky breaks your phone or sinks your contracts. The useful reading is humbler and more practical: three weeks in which it pays to slow down, check the details and notice what went unsaid. Read that way, Mercury retrograde is an invitation to be attentive, not a threat.
The shadow: before and after the retrograde
Before each retrograde, Mercury crosses for the first time the degrees it will later walk back over. That stretch is the pre-retrograde shadow. After it turns direct, it crosses them a third time, and when it reaches the degree where it stationed retrograde, the shadow ends.
Many astrologers treat the shadow as preparation and follow-through: in the pre-shadow the period's themes often appear for the first time, during the retrograde they come back for review, and in the post-shadow they find their resolution. The shadow dates in the table above are exact, computed as the moments Mercury reaches the degrees of its two stations.
Practical tips for Mercury retrograde
Mercury retrograde is no reason to put your life on hold for three weeks. These habits help, and honestly they are sensible at any time:
- Reread important messages, emails and contracts before you send or sign them.
- Back up your phone and computer, and update your passwords.
- Leave slack for travel and deliveries; confirm times and addresses.
- Finish what is already on the table: edit, tidy up, return to postponed tasks.
- If an old friend or an old idea comes back, look at it with fresh eyes before you decide.
- If you need to start something new, start it. Just be more careful with the details.
Myths and facts
What Mercury retrograde is, and what it isn't
Myth
Mercury really moves backwards.
Fact
The backward motion is an optical effect of Earth and Mercury moving at different speeds. The planet keeps going around its orbit as always.
Myth
Mercury retrograde is a rare event.
Fact
It happens three or four times a year. Between 2025 and 2028, Mercury is retrograde about 18% of the time, not counting the shadows.
Myth
You must not sign anything while Mercury is retrograde.
Fact
Life doesn't stop. The astrological advice is to read more carefully and leave room for corrections, not to postpone everything.
Myth
It is proven that Mercury retrograde breaks technology.
Fact
There is no scientific evidence for that. Astrology is a language for self-reflection: use the period as a reminder to pay attention, not as the explanation for every problem.
Other planets
Venus retrograde and Mars retrograde
Mercury isn't the only planet that turns back. Here are the Venus and Mars retrogrades for the same years, computed the same way.
Venus retrograde 2025–2028
Venus turns retrograde roughly every 19 months for about six weeks. Traditionally it is a time to reconsider relationships, tastes, values and money, better suited to returning to the old than to big new purchases or commitments.
| Stations retrograde | Stations direct | Shadow period | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | |||
Mar 2, 2025 · 00:36 UTC10°50′ Aries | Apr 13, 2025 · 01:02 UTC24°37′ Pisces | Jan 28, 2025 – May 16, 2025 | 42 |
| 2026 | |||
Oct 3, 2026 · 07:15 UTC8°29′ Scorpio Next | Nov 14, 2026 · 00:27 UTC22°52′ Libra | Aug 31, 2026 – Dec 15, 2026 | 42 |
| 2028 | |||
May 10, 2028 · 23:02 UTC19°41′ Gemini | Jun 22, 2028 · 22:12 UTC3°11′ Gemini | Apr 7, 2028 – Jul 26, 2028 | 43 |
Mars retrograde 2025–2028
Mars turns retrograde roughly every 26 months for two to almost three months. Drive and ambition turn inward: a time to weigh where you spend your energy rather than pushing ahead at any cost.
| Stations retrograde | Stations direct | Shadow period | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | |||
Dec 6, 2024 · 23:33 UTC6°10′ Leo | Feb 24, 2025 · 01:59 UTC17°01′ Cancer | Oct 5, 2024 – May 2, 2025 | 79 |
| 2027 | |||
Jan 10, 2027 · 12:59 UTC10°26′ Virgo Next | Apr 1, 2027 · 14:08 UTC20°56′ Leo | Nov 5, 2026 – Jun 8, 2027 | 81 |
Questions
Frequently asked questions
When is Mercury retrograde in 2026?
In 2026, Mercury is retrograde from February 26 to March 20, from June 29 to July 23 and from October 24 to November 13. The exact station times, signs and shadow periods are in the table above.
When does Mercury retrograde end?
Mercury is not retrograde right now. The next period runs from October 24, 2026, 07:12 UTC to November 13, 2026, 15:53 UTC in Scorpio.
How often is Mercury retrograde?
Three or four times a year, each time for about three weeks. Between 2025 and 2028 the retrograde phases last 20 to 24 days, and with its shadows each cycle takes about 56 days.
What should I avoid during Mercury retrograde?
You don't need to freeze your plans. The traditional advice is not to sign in a hurry, not to buy electronics without checking them and not to skip the details. If a decision can't wait, make it: just reread the terms and leave yourself some slack.
Is it "Mercury retrograde" or "Mercury in retrograde"?
Both are used for the same thing. Astrologers usually say "Mercury retrograde" or "Mercury stations retrograde" for the turning point, while "Mercury in retrograde" is the everyday phrase. Either way it means the weeks when Mercury appears to move backwards.
Does Mercury retrograde affect everyone the same way?
Astrologically, no. It tends to be felt most by people with a prominent Mercury in their birth chart, people born with Mercury retrograde, or those in whose chart the retrograde sign falls in an important house. Your natal chart shows which area of your life each retrograde cycle touches.
Positions are computed from astronomical ephemerides (apparent geocentric longitudes in the tropical zodiac) and checked against NASA JPL Horizons.
Astrology is offered here as a language for self-reflection and entertainment, not as a prediction, diagnosis or professional advice.
Your chart
Where is Mercury in your birth chart?
Calculate your natal chart for free and see the sign and house of your Mercury, and which area of your life each retrograde cycle touches.