Is Mercury in Retrograde Right Now?
Current motion · UTC station times · Your local clock
Check whether Mercury is retrograde now, when the current cycle ends and when the next one starts. The station times below use UTC; your local clock is shown separately. A direct station and the end of a shadow period are different dates.
Mercury is retrograde
Reference at publication: . The interactive status refreshes while the page is open.
When does Mercury retrograde end?
The current retrograde ends November 13, 2026 at 15:52 UTC, when Mercury stations direct. The post-shadow is a separate period.
When does Mercury retrograde start?
This cycle began October 24, 2026 at 07:15 UTC. The next retrograde starts February 9, 2027 at 17:36 UTC in Pisces.
2026 and 2027 Mercury retrograde start and end times
| Starts retrograde | Turns direct | Starting sign |
|---|---|---|
| Pisces | ||
| Cancer | ||
| Scorpio | ||
| Pisces | ||
| Cancer | ||
| Scorpio |
The direct station ends retrograde motion, not the post-shadow. Your local date can differ from the UTC date.
In 2027 Mercury is retrograde from February 9 to March 3 (Pisces, backing into Aquarius), from June 10 to July 4 (Cancer, backing into Gemini), and from October 7 to October 28 (Scorpio, backing into Libra).
Retrograde motion is an apparent reversal as seen from Earth; Mercury does not physically reverse its orbit. Astrologers associate it with review and revision. It does not establish that a message, journey or agreement will go wrong.
Each retrograde has a shadow period on either side, about two weeks before and two weeks after, while Mercury covers the same stretch of the zodiac a first and a third time. For the retrograde of October 24 to November 13, 2026, the shadow runs from October 4 to November 30.
Station timestamps come from calculated geocentric tropical longitude. The current-status card compares the clock with the station instant, rather than treating the whole start or end date as retrograde. UTC dates and your local dates may differ; saved station times are rounded to the nearest minute.
How to Use the Mercury Retrograde Tracker
Check Mercury retrograde status and browse exact station dates for the year.
- 1. Read the status card to see whether Mercury is retrograde today and when the current or next retrograde ends
- 2. Scroll the two year lists for every retrograde start and end date with its zodiac sign
- 3. Open the Mercury Retrograde House Finder to see which house of your own chart each retrograde moves through
Related guides
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FAQ
Is Mercury in retrograde right now?
The status card compares the current instant with the calculated start and direct-station times. It refreshes while open. On a station date, Mercury can be direct for part of the day and retrograde for another part, so a date range alone does not settle the current status.
When is Mercury retrograde in 2026?
There are three Mercury retrogrades in 2026: February 26 to March 20 in Pisces, June 29 to July 23 in Cancer, and October 24 to November 13 in Scorpio. All three are in water signs.
When does Mercury retrograde end?
The last Mercury retrograde of 2026 ends on November 13, 2026, when Mercury turns direct at 5 degrees of Scorpio at about 15:52 UTC. Mercury then leaves its shadow period on November 30.
When is Mercury retrograde in 2027?
In 2027 Mercury is retrograde from February 9 to March 3, from June 10 to July 4, and from October 7 to October 28. Each one starts in a water sign (Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio) and backs into the air sign before it (Aquarius, Gemini, Libra).
How many Mercury retrogrades are there in a year?
Usually three, sometimes four. 2026 and 2027 have three each. Each lasts about three weeks, so Mercury is retrograde for roughly nine or ten weeks of a normal year.
What should I avoid during Mercury retrograde?
Reviewing messages, bookings and agreements can be a useful habit. Retrograde timing does not demonstrate that an outcome will fail, and it is not a reason by itself to delay necessary decisions. Separate symbolic astrology advice from the facts of the situation.
Where do these dates come from?
They are computed from Mercury's position and speed by the same astronomical engine that powers the Natal Echo calendar. A retrograde starts at the moment Mercury's apparent motion through the zodiac stops and reverses, and ends when it stops and moves forward again.