Mercury retrograde dates
Every Mercury retrograde from 2024 to 2031, computed from the planet’s actual position, plus what’s really going on up there.
Right now
Checking today’s sky…
All dates, 2024–2031
Station times are to the day in UTC; in the Americas a station can fall on the previous calendar date.
2024
- Apr 1 – Apr 25, 2024Aries 27°13′ → Aries 15°59′
- Aug 5 – Aug 28, 2024Virgo 4°06′ → Leo 21°24′
- Nov 26 – Dec 15, 2024Sagittarius 22°40′ → Sagittarius 6°24′
2025
- Mar 15 – Apr 7, 2025Aries 9°35′ → Pisces 26°50′
- Jul 18 – Aug 11, 2025Leo 15°34′ → Leo 4°15′
- Nov 9 – Nov 29, 2025Sagittarius 6°52′ → Scorpio 20°42′
2026
- Feb 26 – Mar 20, 2026Pisces 22°34′ → Pisces 8°29′
- Jun 29 – Jul 23, 2026Cancer 26°15′ → Cancer 16°19′
- Oct 24 – Nov 13, 2026Scorpio 20°59′ → Scorpio 5°02′
2027
- Feb 9 – Mar 3, 2027Pisces 5°59′ → Aquarius 20°55′
- Jun 10 – Jul 4, 2027Cancer 6°22′ → Gemini 27°28′
- Oct 7 – Oct 28, 2027Scorpio 4°56′ → Libra 19°19′
2028
- Jan 24 – Feb 14, 2028Aquarius 19°42′ → Aquarius 3°59′
- May 21 – Jun 14, 2028Gemini 16°19′ → Gemini 7°45′
- Sep 19 – Oct 11, 2028Libra 18°36′ → Libra 3°29′
2029
- Jan 7 – Jan 27, 2029Aquarius 3°38′ → Capricorn 17°32′
- May 1 – May 25, 2029Taurus 26°40′ → Taurus 17°34′
- Sep 2 – Sep 25, 2029Libra 1°50′ → Virgo 17°27′
- Dec 22 – Jan 11, 2030Capricorn 17°42′ → Capricorn 1°26′
2030
- Apr 13 – May 6, 2030Taurus 7°48′ → Aries 27°26′
- Aug 16 – Sep 8, 2030Virgo 14°30′ → Virgo 1°06′
- Dec 6 – Dec 25, 2030Capricorn 1°52′ → Sagittarius 15°33′
2031
- Mar 26 – Apr 18, 2031Aries 19°45′ → Aries 7°51′
- Jul 29 – Aug 22, 2031Leo 26°26′ → Leo 14°18′
- Nov 19 – Dec 9, 2031Sagittarius 16°03′ → Scorpio 29°49′
What “retrograde” actually is
Mercury never reverses. It laps the Earth every 116 days on its faster inner orbit, and while it swings past between us and the Sun, our line of sight to it sweeps backwards against the distant stars for about three weeks. Press play or drag the days.
Direct: moving forwards through the zodiac
The faint trail on the outer ring is where we see Mercury against the stars over the last 60 days; the hairpin loops are the retrogrades. Real orbits are elliptical and tilted, which is why actual retrogrades last 19–24 days.
Astrology’s take
Mercury rules communication, contracts, travel and technology, so its retrograde is traditionally read as a time to re-do things: review, revise, reconnect, repair. Start new projects before or after if you can; use the three weeks to back up files, reread contracts and follow up with old contacts.
The sign it retrogrades through colours the theme, and the house in your own chart shows where you’ll notice it most. Check which house those degrees fall in on your birth chart, or see whether you were born with it retrograde on the Mercury sign calculator.
The retrograde loop is one of those things that clicks the moment you see it move. That same click is what ahaboo is built around: short explainers you steer yourself, like dragging the Moon to watch its phases appear.
Questions people ask
When is the next Mercury retrograde?
See the live status box at the top of this page; it checks today’s date against every retrograde period through 2031, computed from planetary positions.
How often does Mercury go retrograde?
Three (occasionally four) times a year, for about 3 weeks each time. Mercury laps the Earth every 116 days (its synodic period), and each lap includes one retrograde.
Is Mercury actually moving backwards?
No. It’s an optical effect: Mercury moves faster than Earth on its inner orbit, and as it passes between us and the Sun, its position against the background stars appears to reverse. The explainer on this page shows it.
What does Mercury retrograde mean in astrology?
Astrologers link it to delays, miscommunication and tech or travel glitches, and advise reviewing, revising and reconnecting rather than launching new things. There’s no scientific evidence it affects events; many people use it as a prompt to double-check.
What is the shadow period?
The weeks before a retrograde when Mercury first crosses the degrees it will later retrace, and the weeks after when it passes them again. Astrologers treat it as a softer lead-in and aftermath.