When exactly is Mercury retrograde?
Here are the exact retrograde phases of Mercury, Venus and Mars — calculated to the day from the Swiss Ephemeris and kept current automatically. Not a hardcoded list, but real astronomy.
Upcoming retrograde phases
| Planet | Start | End | Sign | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | June 29, 2026 | July 23, 2026 | Cancer | 24 days |
| Venus | October 3, 2026 | November 14, 2026 | Scorpio | 42 days |
| Mercury | October 24, 2026 | November 13, 2026 | Scorpio | 20 days |
| Mars | January 10, 2027 | April 1, 2027 | Virgo | 81 days |
| Mercury | February 9, 2027 | March 3, 2027 | Pisces | 22 days |
| Mercury | June 10, 2027 | July 4, 2027 | Cancer | 24 days |
| Mercury | October 7, 2027 | October 28, 2027 | Scorpio | 21 days |
| Mercury | January 24, 2028 | February 14, 2028 | Aquarius | 21 days |
| Venus | May 10, 2028 | June 22, 2028 | Gemini | 43 days |
| Mercury | May 21, 2028 | June 14, 2028 | Gemini | 24 days |
| Mercury | September 19, 2028 | October 11, 2028 | Libra | 22 days |
| Mercury | January 7, 2029 | January 27, 2029 | Aquarius | 20 days |
| Mars | February 14, 2029 | May 5, 2029 | Libra | 80 days |
| Mercury | May 1, 2029 | May 25, 2029 | Taurus | 24 days |
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How these dates are calculated
A planet is retrograde when its ecliptic longitude speed turns negative from a geocentric view — it appears to move backward through the zodiac. We compute the exact moment of this turn (the "station") with the Swiss Ephemeris.
That keeps the dates above from ever going stale: they're derived live, server-side, from the planetary orbits — not from a manually maintained table. The same engine powers our live status page and the free alert.
Mercury, Venus and Mars at a glance
Mercury is retrograde about three times a year for roughly three weeks — the most frequent and famous retrograde. Venus goes retrograde only about every 18 months for around six weeks, and Mars roughly every two years for up to eleven weeks.
The rarer and longer a phase, the clearer its theme: Mercury touches communication and tech, Venus love and values, Mars energy and drive.
Your personal reading
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FAQ
How often is Mercury retrograde per year?
About three times a year, roughly three weeks each. You'll find the exact dates above — calculated live from the Swiss Ephemeris.
Are these dates reliable?
Yes. They come from the same ephemeris used by professional astronomy and astrology software. The start and end dates mark the exact station points.
Will I get a reminder for these dates?
Yes — with our free retrograde alert. You're notified automatically by email the moment a new phase begins.