These station dates were calculated from the sky of each moment and frozen in this archive on 2026-10-23 (1.5.0).
Stations
- Station retrograde
- 20°58′44″ Scorpio
- Station direct
- 5°02′01″ Scorpio
Shadow periods
The pre-shadow begins when Mercury first reaches the degree where it will later station direct. The post-shadow ends when Mercury, now direct, recrosses the degree of the retrograde station.
- Pre-shadow begins: (5°02′01″ Scorpio)
- Post-shadow ends: (20°58′44″ Scorpio)
Sign(s) of this retrograde
Scorpio
How this station is often read
From 24 October 2026 at 07:13 UTC to 13 November 2026 at 15:54 UTC, Mercury stationed retrograde at 20°58′44″ Scorpio and stationed direct at 5°02′01″ Scorpio.
In Scorpio
Mercury in Scorpio is often described as speech that goes underneath. Retrograde in this sign is traditionally a return to what was not said — intensity is available; drama is optional.
Upcoming retrogrades
The next two to three years, from the same calculation. Each row is a station pair.
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| Station retrograde | Station direct | Signs |
|---|---|---|
| Scorpio | ||
| Pisces and Aquarius | ||
| Cancer and Gemini | ||
| Scorpio and Libra | ||
| Aquarius | ||
| Gemini | ||
| Libra | ||
| Aquarius and Capricorn | ||
| Taurus | ||
| Libra and Virgo |
Archive
Every Mercury retrograde that has stationed direct since 23 October 2024. Pages stay; a new one appears on the next rebuild after station direct.
- November 2024 — Sagittarius
- March 2025 — Aries and Pisces
- July 2025 — Leo
- November 2025 — Sagittarius and Scorpio
- February 2026 — Pisces
- June 2026 — Cancer
What “retrograde” means here
From Earth, Mercury’s apparent motion along the ecliptic sometimes slows, stops, and runs backward for about three weeks. The engine calls a station the instant that apparent longitude speed crosses zero. This is an astronomical fact. It is not a verdict on your week.
What the shadow is
Astrologers mark a “shadow” on either side of the retrograde: the span between the two station degrees. Mercury covers that ground three times — direct, then retrograde, then direct again. We report the UTC instants when those longitudes are crossed. How you read the shadow is tradition, not a measurement.
What it does not do
A retrograde date is not a natal chart. It does not move your Mercury. If you want the sky of your birth — including whether Mercury was retrograde that day — draw the free chart.
Questions
When is the next Mercury retrograde?
The engine’s current or next station retrograde is 24 October 2026 at 07:13 UTC. Station direct is 13 November 2026 at 15:54 UTC. Your timezone appears on this page after it loads.
What is a Mercury retrograde shadow?
The pre-shadow for this passage begins 4 October 2026 at 09:09 UTC, when Mercury first reaches the direct-station degree. The post-shadow ends 30 November 2026 at 06:16 UTC, when Mercury recrosses the retrograde-station degree.
Does Mercury retrograde mean I should not sign anything?
No. natalcharts.com reports computed sky times. Interpretation is a tradition and a mirror, not advice. We do not tell you to delay contracts, travel, or speech.
How are these times calculated?
Mercury’s tropical longitude is calculated from the sky of each moment. A station is the instant that motion changes direction. The same calculation draws the free birth chart. Sources are listed on Credits.