Mercury Retrograde Calendar for 2026

This drawing illustrates the path of Mercury in the sky and the different stages of the Mercury Retrograde Cycle. Each stage is color coded, and the corresponding dates are shown in the Mercury Retrograde Calendar, below.

The 5 Significant phases and Stations of Mercury Retrograde.

February 2026 Mercury Retrograde in Pisces

Please note that this calendar begins on a Monday.

The First Mercury Retrograde Cycle of 2026 begins with the Pre-Shadow in Pisces on February 11 at approx. 10:14 pm Universal Time, 5:14 pm EST and at 2:14 pm PST.

Mercury goes Retrograde in Pisces (22º 34') on February 26, 6:18 am Universal Time, 01:18 am EST, and February 25, 10:18 pm PST

The Direct Station occurs in Pisces (8º 30') on March 20, at 7:33 pm Universal Time, 3:33 pm EDT, 12:33 pm PDT.

Mercury ends the Post-Shadow in Pisces on April 9 at approx 11:37 am Universal Time, 7:37 am EDT and 4:37 am PDT.

The previous Retrogrades in Pisces occurred in February of 2020 and March of 2019.

June 2026 Mercury Retrograde in Cancer

The Second Mercury Retrograde Cycle of 2026 begins the Pre-Shadow in Cancer on June 13, at approx 12:53 am Universal Time 8:58 am EDT, 5:53 am PDT.

Mercury goes Retrograde in Cancer (26º 27') on June 29 at 5:36 pm Universal Time, 1:36 pm EDT and 10:36 am PDT.

The Direct Station occurs in Cancer (16º 19') on July 23 at 10:57 pm Universal Time, 5:57 pm EDT, and 3:57 pm PDT.

Mercury ends the Post-Shadow in Cancer on August 7 at approx. 3:35 am Universal Time, and August 6 at 11:35 pm EDT, 8:35 pm PDT.

The previous Retrograde in Cancer occurred in June of 2020 and June of 2014.

October 2026 Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio

The Third Mercury Retrograde Cycle of 2026 begins the Pre-Shadow in Scorpio on October 4 at approx. 9:08 am Universal Time*, 5:08 am EDT, and 2:08 am PDT.

Mercury goes Retrograde in Scorpio (20º 59') on October 24 at 7:02 am Universal Time, 3:12 am EST and 12:12 am PDT

The Direct Station occurs in Scorpio (5º 02') on November 13 at approx. 3:53 pm Universal Time, 10:53 am EST and 7:53 am PST

Mercury ends the Post-Shadow in Scorpio on November 30 at 6:17 am Universal Time, 1:17 am EST, and November 29, 10:17 pm PST

The previous Retrograde in Scorpio occurred in October 2020 and October 2019 .

Please note that all times are approximate. The actual times are defined by the observer's location and vary due to parallax.
* Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) replaced Greenwich Mean Time in 1961. They are often used interchangeably.

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How to Use the 2026 Mercury Retrograde Calendar

This calendar indicates the main phases of Mercury Retrograde using a color code.

The Mercury Retrograde Pre-Shadow

The Mercury Retrograde Pre-Shadow phase is indicated in blue and corresponds to the time during which Mercury traces the path in the sky that it will later return to as it moves backward, during the Mercury Retrograde Phase. Often it is during this time that the conditions are set up for the Retrograde phase that follows. As Mercury slows down, just prior its retrograde motion, the contributing factors and the experiences of the cycle are strengthened, and this is indicated in the calendar by a violet color.

The Mercury Retrograde Phase

The Mercury Retrograde Phase is in light red. The actual Mercury Retrograde Station, as Mercury appears to have stopped and is about to go backward is shown in red. Near the beginning and the end of the retrograde phase, Mercury seems to slow down in the sky, and its effect tends to stronger. This is shown with a darker color.
The retrograde phase is famous for revealing the consequences of inattention to detail, wrong assumptions as well as errors in communication and transportation. Many of these are often set up in the pre-shadow phase.

The actual moment when Mercury appears to be stationary and is about to move forwards is the Mercury Direct Station. This is shown in dark brown. As Mercury is still moving slowly before it speeds up the effect tends to be stronger, indicated with a darker shade of brown.

The Mercury Retrograde Post-Shadow

The Mercury Retrograde Post-Shadow phase is indicated in brown. Mercury is now moving forward, and this phase refers to the time during which Mercury is retracing the path in the sky where it had formerly moved backward during the retrograde period.

Often, the Mercury Retrograde Post-Shadow can reveal the errors in communication and travel that may have occurred during the pre-shadow and retrograde phases.

► The Full description of each cycle is found here

Mercury Retrograde at the Personal Level

One way of looking at Mercury Retrograde is that it reveals the shadow or disowned component in our awareness, communication, and interaction with others and with the world around us.

Mercury rules the signs Gemini and Virgo. With Gemini, Mercury expresses the way that we reach out into our neighborhood, interact and discriminate. The shadow of Gemini is Sagittarius.

When Mercury is retrograde, it often expresses the negative or disowned nature of Sagittarius. When this happens, the tendency is to generalize, anticipate, gloss over, judge or assume, without reality checking.

The other expression of Mercury Retrograde is through the shadow of the sign Virgo. With Virgo, Mercury expresses the way that we integrate what we experience and how we make sense of the world around us through our mind. The shadow of Virgo is Pisces.

When Mercury is retrograde, often the negative or disowned nature of Pisces is expressed. We may think that someone else will do it, or we may imagine that things will turn out for ‘the best’ or we may imagine or hope instead of doing something for ourselves. Often the disowned nature of Pisces is revealed in our disconnection to our core and in seeking that connection outside of ourselves instead.

Clearing Your Shadow

You may want to look at each Mercury Retrograde cycle as a small wake up call and an opportunity to notice when you are caught up in the patterns of your shadow. It is then that we tend to be less conscious, and not as aware as we could be. Moreover, when we act from this place, we set ourselves up.

The Mercury Retrograde cycle is a good time for introspection and to become more aware of your own patterns. If you wish to take advantage of this time, you may find the books listed below very helpful in revealing the ways we become unconscious in our actions, and it gives clear practical steps to regain our integrity with our core. It comes highly recommended:

Mercury Retrograde and Your Sun Sign

Each sun sign expresses the path of spirit and reveals our contribution to the way we interact with the Mercury Retrograde Cycle.

A dsicription of your Sun Sign and that contribution from Mercury Retrograde is found on my alternate web site, astrologyhoroscopereadings.com. The Sun Signs are found on the pulldown menu on the top of the page, under 'Signs': ► astrologyhoroscopereadings.com