2027 at a glance
| Retrograde | Signs | Shadow period |
|---|---|---|
| to | Pisces, Aquarius | to |
| to | Cancer, Gemini | to |
| to | Scorpio, Libra | to |
Every 2027 retrograde in detail
1. February 9 to March 3: Mercury retrograde in Pisces and Aquarius
- Pre-shadow beginsMercury reaches 20°55′ Aquarius, the degree it will retreat to.
- Stations retrogradeAt 5°59′ Pisces.
- Moves back into Aquarius
- Stations directAt 20°55′ Aquarius.
- Post-shadow endsMercury passes 5°59′ Pisces again and leaves the retrograde zone.
Mercury retrograde in Pisces is traditionally linked with dreams, intuition, creativity and blurred boundaries. Mercury retrograde in Aquarius is traditionally linked with friends, groups, technology and future plans.
2. June 10 to July 4: Mercury retrograde in Cancer and Gemini
- Pre-shadow beginsMercury reaches 27°28′ Gemini, the degree it will retreat to.
- Stations retrogradeAt 6°22′ Cancer.
- Moves back into Gemini
- Stations directAt 27°28′ Gemini.
- Post-shadow endsMercury passes 6°22′ Cancer again and leaves the retrograde zone.
Mercury retrograde in Cancer is traditionally linked with home, family, old memories and emotional conversations. Mercury retrograde in Gemini is traditionally linked with conversations, messages, siblings, short trips and paperwork.
3. October 7 to October 28: Mercury retrograde in Scorpio and Libra
- Pre-shadow beginsMercury reaches 19°19′ Libra, the degree it will retreat to.
- Stations retrogradeAt 4°55′ Scorpio.
- Moves back into Libra
- Stations directAt 19°19′ Libra.
- Post-shadow endsMercury passes 4°55′ Scorpio again and leaves the retrograde zone.
Mercury retrograde in Scorpio is traditionally linked with secrets, shared money, intimacy and things that resurface. Mercury retrograde in Libra is traditionally linked with relationships, agreements and finding balance.
What Mercury retrograde is
Mercury never actually reverses. It orbits the Sun in 88 days, much faster than Earth, and about three times a year it passes between Earth and the Sun. As it overtakes us on the inside track, it appears from Earth to slow down, stop, drift backward against the stars for about three weeks, stop again and move forward. The two turning points are called stations.
The shadow periods
The pre-shadow starts when Mercury first reaches the degree where the retrograde will end. The post-shadow ends when Mercury returns to the degree where it turned retrograde. Between those two dates Mercury covers the same stretch of sky three times, which is why many astrologers treat the whole window, usually about two months, as one retrograde cycle.
What it means in astrology
Mercury rules communication, travel, contracts and technology, so astrologers associate its retrograde with misunderstandings, delays and glitches, and with a good time to review, revise and reconnect rather than launch. Many people avoid signing contracts or buying electronics during the retrograde itself, or at least double-check the details.
Other years
Mercury retrograde 2026 and Mercury retrograde 2028.
Questions
How often is Mercury retrograde?
Three or four times a year, for about three weeks each time. In total Mercury is retrograde for roughly 19 percent of the year.
Which time zone are these dates in?
The pages are written in US Eastern time with UTC alongside. In your browser, the dates and times switch to your own time zone automatically.
How accurate are the dates?
Mercury’s position is calculated from its orbit and the stations are checked against the Swiss Ephemeris, the standard used by astrologers; every station from 2020 to 2030 matches to within 20 minutes.
What should I avoid during Mercury retrograde?
Tradition suggests double-checking contracts, travel bookings and important messages, backing up devices, and leaving room for delays. It is considered a good time for editing, finishing old projects and reconnecting with people.