Mercury retrograde 2026
About three times a year, Mercury seems to stop, drift backwards for nearly three weeks, then carry on. It’s a trick of perspective: as Mercury passes between Earth and the Sun, its path, seen from here, appears to reverse.
In 2026, Mercury goes retrograde 3 times.
February 26 – March 20, 2026
Mercury stays in Pisces for the whole retrograde.
- Shadow begins
· Paris time
22:12 UTC · Mercury at 8°29′ Pisces
- Retrograde begins
· Paris time
06:48 UTC · Mercury at 22°34′ Pisces
- Retrograde ends
· Paris time
19:33 UTC · Mercury at 8°29′ Pisces
- Shadow ends
· Paris time
11:42 UTC · Mercury at 22°34′ Pisces
June 29 – July 24, 2026
Mercury stays in Cancer for the whole retrograde.
- Shadow begins
· Paris time
00:53 UTC · Mercury at 16°19′ Cancer
- Retrograde begins
· Paris time
17:36 UTC · Mercury at 26°15′ Cancer
- Retrograde ends
· Paris time
July 23, 22:58 UTC · Mercury at 16°19′ Cancer
- Shadow ends
· Paris time
03:37 UTC · Mercury at 26°15′ Cancer
October 24 – November 13, 2026
Mercury stays in Scorpio for the whole retrograde.
- Shadow begins
· Paris time
09:09 UTC · Mercury at 5°02′ Scorpio
- Retrograde begins
· Paris time
07:13 UTC · Mercury at 20°59′ Scorpio
- Retrograde ends
· Paris time
15:54 UTC · Mercury at 5°02′ Scorpio
- Shadow ends
· Paris time
06:16 UTC · Mercury at 20°59′ Scorpio
The retrograde runs from the retrograde station, when Mercury stops and starts moving backwards, to the direct station, when it moves forward again. The shadow frames it: it begins when Mercury first reaches the degree where it will turn direct, and ends once it passes the degree where it turned retrograde.
Calculated with Swiss Ephemeris 2.10.03, tropical zodiac, geocentric. Times to the minute, in Paris time and in Universal Time (UTC).
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