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Dates, windows & the speed curve

Mercury is retrograde

♋ Currently in Cancer 18°20′ · stations direct Jul 23, 2026 ()

Mercury is moving retrograde, appearing to drift backward through the zodiac. A traditional time to review, reread and revisit unfinished threads.

Mercury retrograde windows in 2026

Other years
  • Feb 26, 2026 – Mar 20, 2026Pisces 22°33′ → Pisces 8°29′
    Shadow period (before & after)

    Before and after the retrograde, Mercury passes over the same stretch of degrees a first and a last time — some call it the “shadow” or the “storm”. It’s the same continuous motion, computed here, not a danger.

    Enters the shadow: Feb 11, 2026

    Leaves the shadow: Apr 9, 2026

  • Jun 29, 2026 – Jul 23, 2026happening nowCancer 26°15′ → Cancer 16°18′
    Shadow period (before & after)

    Before and after the retrograde, Mercury passes over the same stretch of degrees a first and a last time — some call it the “shadow” or the “storm”. It’s the same continuous motion, computed here, not a danger.

    Enters the shadow: Jun 13, 2026

    Leaves the shadow: Aug 7, 2026

  • Oct 24, 2026 – Nov 13, 2026Scorpio 20°58′ → Scorpio 5°02′
    Shadow period (before & after)

    Before and after the retrograde, Mercury passes over the same stretch of degrees a first and a last time — some call it the “shadow” or the “storm”. It’s the same continuous motion, computed here, not a danger.

    Enters the shadow: Oct 4, 2026

    Leaves the shadow: Nov 30, 2026

Retrograde is just this curve

Mercury's speed in degrees per day across the window. It slows, crosses zero (the station), moves backward, stations again, and speeds up. The motion is continuous. The shaded band is where it reads as retrograde.

0slower → station → retrograde → station → faster
Whatever's going wrong this week, Mercury didn't do it. Use the retrograde as a cue to double-check and tie off loose ends if you like, not as a verdict on your days.

Is this retrograde touching a planet in your chart? That's the question worth asking.

Your transits Birth chart All retrogrades

Save your chart to a free account and come back to any sky event with your own context.

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How often is Mercury retrograde?
About three times a year, for roughly three weeks each time. It's the most frequent retrograde of any planet — which is exactly why it feels like it's always happening.
Does Mercury retrograde cause things to go wrong?
No. Retrograde is an optical effect of Earth and Mercury moving at different speeds — nothing changes in the sky's mechanics. Devices fail and emails vanish in every season; these weeks just carry a label, so we remember them.
Should I avoid signing contracts during Mercury retrograde?
That's exactly the kind of claim we don't make. If the tradition is useful to you, treat the window as a nudge to read the fine print twice — a habit that pays off in any month.
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