2026 at a glance
| Retrograde | Signs | Shadow period |
|---|---|---|
| to | Pisces | to |
| to | Cancer | to |
| to | Scorpio | to |
Every 2026 retrograde in detail
1. February 26 to March 20: Mercury retrograde in Pisces
- Pre-shadow beginsMercury reaches 8°30′ Pisces, the degree it will retreat to.
- Stations retrogradeAt 22°34′ Pisces.
- Stations directAt 8°30′ Pisces.
- Post-shadow endsMercury passes 22°34′ Pisces again and leaves the retrograde zone.
Mercury retrograde in Pisces is traditionally linked with dreams, intuition, creativity and blurred boundaries.
2. June 29 to July 23: Mercury retrograde in Cancer
- Pre-shadow beginsMercury reaches 16°19′ Cancer, the degree it will retreat to.
- Stations retrogradeAt 26°16′ Cancer.
- Stations directAt 16°19′ Cancer.
- Post-shadow endsMercury passes 26°16′ Cancer again and leaves the retrograde zone.
Mercury retrograde in Cancer is traditionally linked with home, family, old memories and emotional conversations.
3. October 24 to November 13: Mercury retrograde in Scorpio
- Pre-shadow beginsMercury reaches 5°02′ Scorpio, the degree it will retreat to.
- Stations retrogradeAt 20°59′ Scorpio.
- Stations directAt 5°02′ Scorpio.
- Post-shadow endsMercury passes 20°59′ Scorpio again and leaves the retrograde zone.
Mercury retrograde in Scorpio is traditionally linked with secrets, shared money, intimacy and things that resurface.
What Mercury retrograde is
Mercury never actually reverses. It orbits the Sun in 88 days, much faster than Earth, and about three times a year it passes between Earth and the Sun. As it overtakes us on the inside track, it appears from Earth to slow down, stop, drift backward against the stars for about three weeks, stop again and move forward. The two turning points are called stations.
The shadow periods
The pre-shadow starts when Mercury first reaches the degree where the retrograde will end. The post-shadow ends when Mercury returns to the degree where it turned retrograde. Between those two dates Mercury covers the same stretch of sky three times, which is why many astrologers treat the whole window, usually about two months, as one retrograde cycle.
What it means in astrology
Mercury rules communication, travel, contracts and technology, so astrologers associate its retrograde with misunderstandings, delays and glitches, and with a good time to review, revise and reconnect rather than launch. Many people avoid signing contracts or buying electronics during the retrograde itself, or at least double-check the details.
Other years
Mercury retrograde 2027 and Mercury retrograde 2028.
Questions
How often is Mercury retrograde?
Three or four times a year, for about three weeks each time. In total Mercury is retrograde for roughly 19 percent of the year.
Which time zone are these dates in?
The pages are written in US Eastern time with UTC alongside. In your browser, the dates and times switch to your own time zone automatically.
How accurate are the dates?
Mercury’s position is calculated from its orbit and the stations are checked against the Swiss Ephemeris, the standard used by astrologers; every station from 2020 to 2030 matches to within 20 minutes.
What should I avoid during Mercury retrograde?
Tradition suggests double-checking contracts, travel bookings and important messages, backing up devices, and leaving room for delays. It is considered a good time for editing, finishing old projects and reconnecting with people.