Mercury retrograde · 2027
Mercury retrograde 2027: three loops, and where each one lands
Feb 9 to Mar 3, Jun 10 to Jul 4, Oct 7 to Oct 28. Exact stations, every shadow date, the eclipses inside them and the houses for your rising sign, all computed from NASA JPL data.
Photo: Shopify Photos / Burst
At a glance
Mercury is retrograde three times in 2027: Feb 9 to Mar 3, Jun 10 to Jul 4, Oct 7 to Oct 28.
- First retrograde
- Feb 9 to Mar 3Pisces into Aquarius · shadow Jan 25 to Mar 23
- Second retrograde
- Jun 10 to Jul 4Cancer into Gemini · shadow May 26 to Jul 19
- Third retrograde
- Oct 7 to Oct 28Scorpio into Libra · shadow Sep 17 to Nov 13
- Retrograde days in 2027
- 66.9 days168 days counting shadows (46% of the year)
Map it to your rising signTwelve charts, three loops, your time zone.
The 2027 pattern
Three retrogrades, one habit: Mercury backs out of water into air
Try this today
- Write the three retrograde spans into your calendar now: Feb 9 to Mar 3; Jun 10 to Jul 4; Oct 7 to Oct 28.
- Put launches, signings and big purchases in the clean windows listed further down.
- Use the retrograde weeks for edits, follow-ups and the projects you already started.
Mercury retrograde 2026 and every stationAll the retrogrades of 2027
New planner, fresh pen, that first-week-of-January feeling. Before you fill in a single launch date, here is the part worth pencilling in first: Mercury turns retrograde three times in 2027.
First: Feb 9 to Mar 3, Pisces into Aquarius. Shadow Jan 25 to Mar 23.
Second: Jun 10 to Jul 4, Cancer into Gemini. Shadow May 26 to Jul 19.
Third: Oct 7 to Oct 28, Scorpio into Libra. Shadow Sep 17 to Nov 13.
Look at the signs and a pattern jumps out. Each 2027 retrograde starts in a water sign (Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio) and backs over the line into the air sign behind it (Aquarius, Gemini, Libra). In the tradition, water is feeling and memory, air is talk and ideas. So the year's retrogrades read like three rounds of the same exercise: something felt gets talked over again.
In total Mercury spends 66.9 days retrograde in 2027. Count the shadows too and it is 168 days, about 46% of the year. Nobody can put life on hold for 46% of a year, which is the best argument for treating retrogrades as "double-check" weeks rather than "do nothing" weeks.
The sky behind it
Mercury laps the Sun every 88 days, and Earth sees it pass between us and the Sun about three times a year. Each pass is a retrograde, so three a year is the normal rhythm. The 2027 loops are 15.06°, 8.89°, 15.62° of zodiac wide. Stations computed from NASA JPL's DE442 ephemeris, geocentric, tropical zodiac, times in UTC.
First retrograde · February
Mercury retrograde February 2027: Pisces into Aquarius
Try this today
- Back up your phone before the station, not after.
- Re-read the message that took you an hour to write. Then send it.
- Good weeks to reconnect with an old friend or an old idea.
It starts in deep winter for half the planet. Mercury enters its pre-shadow on Jan 25, 2027 at 20°55′ Aquarius, slips into Pisces on Feb 1, and stations retrograde on Feb 9, 2027 at 17:36 UTC, at 5°59′ Pisces.
Then it walks backward. On Feb 18 it slides back into Aquarius, and a few hours later, at 16:39 UTC, it passes exactly in front of the Sun at 29°48′ Aquarius. Astrologers call that moment cazimi, "in the heart of the Sun", and read it as the reset point of the loop. Mercury turns direct on Mar 3, 2027 at 20°55′ Aquarius, re-enters Pisces on Mar 18 and leaves the shadow on Mar 23, 2027.
Yes, Valentine's Day falls inside this retrograde. Book the table, confirm the booking, and maybe read the card twice before you sign it.
This loop also holds two eclipses: New Moon Feb 6 at 17°38′ Aquarius (annular solar eclipse), and the Full Moon Feb 20 at 2°06′ Virgo (penumbral lunar eclipse). Many astrologers read eclipses and Mercury retrogrades alike as "revisit" signals, so an eclipse inside a shadow tends to get a second look.
What the tradition reads here: Pisces is fog and feeling, Aquarius is networks and ideas. Expect the soft, hard-to-word things to need a second go, then the group chats, apps and plans to need a tidy-up as Mercury backs into Aquarius.
The sky behind it
| Event | When (UTC) | Mercury at | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-shadow begins | Jan 25, 2027 · 18:57 UTC | 20°55′ Aquarius | Mercury first crosses the degree it will later turn direct on. |
| Enters Pisces | Feb 1, 2027 · 01:25 UTC | Aquarius / Pisces line | Direct, from Aquarius. |
| Station retrograde | Feb 9, 2027 · 17:36 UTC | 5°59′ Pisces | Mercury appears to stop, then slide backward. |
| Backs into Aquarius | Feb 18, 2027 · 12:15 UTC | Pisces / Aquarius line | Retrograde, from Pisces. |
| Meets the Sun (cazimi) | Feb 18, 2027 · 16:39 UTC | 29°48′ Aquarius | Inferior conjunction: Mercury passes between Earth and the Sun. |
| Station direct | Mar 3, 2027 · 12:32 UTC | 20°55′ Aquarius | Forward motion resumes. |
| Enters Pisces | Mar 18, 2027 · 10:01 UTC | Aquarius / Pisces line | Direct, from Aquarius. |
| Shadow ends | Mar 23, 2027 · 14:57 UTC | 5°59′ Pisces | Back at the retrograde degree. Fully clear. |
Second retrograde · June
Mercury retrograde June 2027: Cancer into Gemini
Try this today
- Confirm summer bookings the day before you go.
- Ring the relative you keep meaning to call.
- Fix the thing at home you have been 'about to fix' since spring.
The summer one. Pre-shadow begins May 26, 2027 at 27°28′ Gemini; Mercury enters Cancer on May 28 and stations retrograde on Jun 10, 2027 at 18:15 UTC, at 6°22′ Cancer.
It meets the Sun on Jun 23 at 1°40′ Cancer, backs into Gemini on Jun 26, and turns direct on Jul 4, 2027 at 27°28′ Gemini, which is the Fourth of July in UTC (and in US time zones, that afternoon). It re-enters Cancer on Jul 12 and the shadow lifts on Jul 19, 2027.
This is the longest retrograde of the year at 24.1 days, yet it covers the shortest stretch of zodiac, only 8.89°. Its backward drift is simply slower this time, so it lingers over fewer degrees.
One eclipse lands in the post-shadow: the Full Moon Jul 18 at 25°49′ Capricorn (penumbral lunar eclipse). A penumbral eclipse is faint, a slight dusky shading on the Moon that is easy to miss by eye.
What the tradition reads here: Cancer is home and family, Gemini is talk, siblings, short trips. Summer travel, family plans and house admin are where people tend to notice the retrograde. Travel anyway, just screenshot the tickets.
The sky behind it
| Event | When (UTC) | Mercury at | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-shadow begins | May 26, 2027 · 06:03 UTC | 27°28′ Gemini | Mercury first crosses the degree it will later turn direct on. |
| Enters Cancer | May 28, 2027 · 17:06 UTC | Gemini / Cancer line | Direct, from Gemini. |
| Station retrograde | Jun 10, 2027 · 18:15 UTC | 6°22′ Cancer | Mercury appears to stop, then slide backward. |
| Meets the Sun (cazimi) | Jun 23, 2027 · 07:59 UTC | 1°40′ Cancer | Inferior conjunction: Mercury passes between Earth and the Sun. |
| Backs into Gemini | Jun 26, 2027 · 07:19 UTC | Cancer / Gemini line | Retrograde, from Cancer. |
| Station direct | Jul 4, 2027 · 19:39 UTC | 27°28′ Gemini | Forward motion resumes. |
| Enters Cancer | Jul 12, 2027 · 13:47 UTC | Gemini / Cancer line | Direct, from Gemini. |
| Shadow ends | Jul 19, 2027 · 08:42 UTC | 6°22′ Cancer | Back at the retrograde degree. Fully clear. |
Third retrograde · October
Mercury retrograde October 2027: Scorpio into Libra
Try this today
- Re-read the joint-account or shared-lease paperwork.
- Have the honest conversation, then follow it up in writing.
- Signing something in October? The dos and don'ts guide covers it.
Autumn's turn. Pre-shadow from Sep 17, 2027 at 19°19′ Libra; Mercury enters Scorpio on Sep 27 and stations retrograde on Oct 7, 2027 at 14:37 UTC, at 4°56′ Scorpio.
It backs into Libra on Oct 16, meets the Sun on Oct 19 at 26°01′ Libra, and turns direct on Oct 28, 2027 at 19°19′ Libra. It returns to Scorpio on Nov 10 and clears the shadow on Nov 13, 2027. Halloween 2027 is in the post-shadow, so the costume plans are mostly safe.
Here is the neat bit. Last year's October retrograde covered 5°02′ Scorpio to 20°59′ Scorpio. This one covers 19°19′ Libra to 4°56′ Scorpio. The two loops sit end to end, only 6′ of arc apart: Mercury picks up almost exactly where it left off a year earlier, one step further back.
No eclipse falls inside this loop.
What the tradition reads here: Scorpio is depth and shared money, Libra is partners and agreements. Contracts, joint finances and the "where are we?" conversation get the review.
The sky behind it
| Event | When (UTC) | Mercury at | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-shadow begins | Sep 17, 2027 · 07:28 UTC | 19°19′ Libra | Mercury first crosses the degree it will later turn direct on. |
| Enters Scorpio | Sep 27, 2027 · 09:09 UTC | Libra / Scorpio line | Direct, from Libra. |
| Station retrograde | Oct 7, 2027 · 14:37 UTC | 4°56′ Scorpio | Mercury appears to stop, then slide backward. |
| Backs into Libra | Oct 16, 2027 · 07:36 UTC | Scorpio / Libra line | Retrograde, from Scorpio. |
| Meets the Sun (cazimi) | Oct 19, 2027 · 15:30 UTC | 26°01′ Libra | Inferior conjunction: Mercury passes between Earth and the Sun. |
| Station direct | Oct 28, 2027 · 14:10 UTC | 19°19′ Libra | Forward motion resumes. |
| Enters Scorpio | Nov 10, 2027 · 00:26 UTC | Libra / Scorpio line | Direct, from Libra. |
| Shadow ends | Nov 13, 2027 · 09:54 UTC | 4°56′ Scorpio | Back at the retrograde degree. Fully clear. |
The shadow, explained
What the Mercury retrograde 2027 shadow actually is
Mercury never reverses. Earth and Mercury both orbit the Sun, and when Mercury swings around the near side of its orbit and passes between us and the Sun, it appears to drift backward against the stars for about three weeks. Astronomers call it apparent retrograde motion.
The shadow is the stretch of zodiac that drift covers, counted three times. In February 2027: Mercury first crosses 20°55′ Aquarius to 5°59′ Pisces going forward (pre-shadow, 14.9 days), walks back over it (retrograde, 21.8 days), then crosses it a third time (post-shadow, 20.1 days). The whole loop takes 56.8 days.
The 2027 shadows add up like this: Feb 9 to Mar 3 has a 56.8-day loop; Jun 10 to Jul 4 has a 54.1-day loop; Oct 7 to Oct 28 has a 57.1-day loop. Astrologers read the pre-shadow as "the topic shows up", the retrograde as "the review", and the post-shadow as "the fix lands".
The sky behind it
Pre-shadow start = the first time Mercury, moving direct, reaches the degree of its coming station direct. Post-shadow end = the first time after the station direct that it reaches the degree of the station retrograde again. We find stations where the sign of Mercury's longitude rate flips, refined to within a couple of minutes, and we checked the station times against two published almanacs (see the method note at the foot of the page).
Your houses
Where Mercury retrograde 2027 lands in your chart
The dates are the same for everyone, but the part of life astrologers point to depends on your rising sign. With whole-sign houses your rising sign is your 1st house, the next sign your 2nd, and so on around the wheel.
So each 2027 retrograde touches two neighbouring houses: the one it stations in and the one it backs into. For Aries rising, February runs from the 12th house (rest, the private stuff) back into the 11th (friends, groups). For Cancer rising, June starts right on the 1st house (you, your body, how you come across) and backs into the 12th.
Don't know your rising sign? Your Sun sign works as a stand-in (astrologers call it a solar chart). Or find your rising in a minute with the rising sign calculator. The tool below and the table further down list all twelve.
Try it
Your 2027 Mercury retrograde map
Tap your rising sign to see which houses each 2027 retrograde moves through, with the station times converted to your own clock. Then check any date from Oct 4, 2026 to Mar 5, 2028. It opens on Valentine's Day, because of course it does.
Aries rising: your 2027 Mercury retrogrades back from the 12th, 4th and 8th houses.
Feb 9 to Mar 3
12th house into 11th
Starts in Pisces, your 12th: rest, solitude, what stays private. Backs into Aquarius, your 11th: friends, groups, hopes.
Turns retrograde Feb 9, 17:36 UTC. Meets the Sun Feb 18, 16:39 UTC. Turns direct Mar 3, 12:32 UTC. Shadow Jan 25 to Mar 23.
Jun 10 to Jul 4
4th house into 3rd
Starts in Cancer, your 4th: home, family, roots. Backs into Gemini, your 3rd: siblings, neighbours, short trips, daily messages.
Turns retrograde Jun 10, 18:15 UTC. Meets the Sun Jun 23, 07:59 UTC. Turns direct Jul 4, 19:39 UTC. Shadow May 26 to Jul 19.
Oct 7 to Oct 28
8th house into 7th
Starts in Scorpio, your 8th: shared money, debts, intimacy. Backs into Libra, your 7th: partners, clients, contracts.
Turns retrograde Oct 7, 14:37 UTC. Meets the Sun Oct 19, 15:30 UTC. Turns direct Oct 28, 14:10 UTC. Shadow Sep 17 to Nov 13.
Retrograde · Feb 14, 2027
Retrograde. Read twice, back up, confirm.
Mercury is retrograde from Feb 9, 2027 to Mar 3, 2027, backing from Pisces into Aquarius.
For Aries rising this loop touches your 12th house and your 11th, so that is where astrologers would look for the double-checks.
Whole-sign houses. Checked at noon UTC. A tradition and a mirror, not a forecast, and not legal or financial advice.
More to read
Shorter reads. Each opens in place.
Plan around it
The clean windows of 2027
Mercury is fully outside any shadow during these stretches, the ones date-pickers like for launches, signings and big buys:
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Nov 30, 2026 to Jan 25, 2027, 57 days
Mar 23, 2027 to May 26, 2027, 64 days
Jul 19, 2027 to Sep 17, 2027, 60 days
Nov 13, 2027 to Jan 8, 2028, 56 days
For weddings, astrologers also check Venus and the Moon. See the best wedding dates of 2027 and best days to sign a contract in 2027.
2027 vs 2026
One step back every year
Mercury's three yearly retrogrades creep backward through the zodiac. The first retrograde of 2026 began at 22°34′ Pisces on Feb 26, 2026; the first of 2027 starts at 5°59′ Pisces, about 16.6° further back, and backs into Aquarius.
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The next one, starting Jan 24, 2028 at 19°42′ Aquarius, sits about 1.2° behind the February 2027 loop. Its pre-shadow begins Jan 8, 2028.
The rest of the sky
Not the only planet going backward in 2027
Mercury retrogrades are the frequent ones, but every planet except the Sun and Moon has retrograde loops of its own. See every planet's 2027 stations in retrogrades 2027, Mars in particular in Mars retrograde 2027, and the year's eclipses in eclipses 2027.
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Mercury retrograde 2027: the full tables
The three periods side by side, the houses for every rising sign, each sign change of the year, and the lunations that fall inside the shadows.
| Pre-shadow | Station retrograde (UTC) | Station direct (UTC) | Shadow ends | Signs | Days retrograde |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25, 2027 | Feb 9, 2027 · 17:36 UTC, 5°59′ Pisces | Mar 3, 2027 · 12:32 UTC, 20°55′ Aquarius | Mar 23, 2027 | Pisces into Aquarius | 21.8 |
| May 26, 2027 | Jun 10, 2027 · 18:15 UTC, 6°22′ Cancer | Jul 4, 2027 · 19:39 UTC, 27°28′ Gemini | Jul 19, 2027 | Cancer into Gemini | 24.1 |
| Sep 17, 2027 | Oct 7, 2027 · 14:37 UTC, 4°56′ Scorpio | Oct 28, 2027 · 14:10 UTC, 19°19′ Libra | Nov 13, 2027 | Scorpio into Libra | 21 |
| Rising sign | Feb 9 to Mar 3 | Jun 10 to Jul 4 | Oct 7 to Oct 28 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aries | 12th into 11th | 4th into 3rd | 8th into 7th |
| Taurus | 11th into 10th | 3rd into 2nd | 7th into 6th |
| Gemini | 10th into 9th | 2nd into 1st | 6th into 5th |
| Cancer | 9th into 8th | 1st into 12th | 5th into 4th |
| Leo | 8th into 7th | 12th into 11th | 4th into 3rd |
| Virgo | 7th into 6th | 11th into 10th | 3rd into 2nd |
| Libra | 6th into 5th | 10th into 9th | 2nd into 1st |
| Scorpio | 5th into 4th | 9th into 8th | 1st into 12th |
| Sagittarius | 4th into 3rd | 8th into 7th | 12th into 11th |
| Capricorn | 3rd into 2nd | 7th into 6th | 11th into 10th |
| Aquarius | 2nd into 1st | 6th into 5th | 10th into 9th |
| Pisces | 1st into 12th | 5th into 4th | 9th into 8th |
| When (UTC) | Mercury moves | Motion |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 13, 2027 · 06:05 UTC | Capricorn to Aquarius | Direct |
| Feb 1, 2027 · 01:25 UTC | Aquarius to Pisces | Direct |
| Feb 18, 2027 · 12:15 UTC | Pisces to Aquarius | Retrograde |
| Mar 18, 2027 · 10:01 UTC | Aquarius to Pisces | Direct |
| Apr 8, 2027 · 23:20 UTC | Pisces to Aries | Direct |
| Apr 24, 2027 · 22:18 UTC | Aries to Taurus | Direct |
| May 9, 2027 · 01:57 UTC | Taurus to Gemini | Direct |
| May 28, 2027 · 17:06 UTC | Gemini to Cancer | Direct |
| Jun 26, 2027 · 07:19 UTC | Cancer to Gemini | Retrograde |
| Jul 12, 2027 · 13:47 UTC | Gemini to Cancer | Direct |
| Aug 2, 2027 · 10:52 UTC | Cancer to Leo | Direct |
| Aug 17, 2027 · 04:43 UTC | Leo to Virgo | Direct |
| Sep 3, 2027 · 11:36 UTC | Virgo to Libra | Direct |
| Sep 27, 2027 · 09:09 UTC | Libra to Scorpio | Direct |
| Oct 16, 2027 · 07:36 UTC | Scorpio to Libra | Retrograde |
| Nov 10, 2027 · 00:26 UTC | Libra to Scorpio | Direct |
| Nov 29, 2027 · 10:23 UTC | Scorpio to Sagittarius | Direct |
| Dec 18, 2027 · 11:58 UTC | Sagittarius to Capricorn | Direct |
| Shadow | Lunation (UTC) | Moon at | Eclipse? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 to Mar 23 | New Moon, Feb 6, 2027 · 15:56 UTC | 17°38′ Aquarius | Annular solar eclipse |
| Jan 25 to Mar 23 | Full Moon, Feb 20, 2027 · 23:23 UTC | 2°06′ Virgo | Penumbral lunar eclipse |
| Jan 25 to Mar 23 | New Moon, Mar 8, 2027 · 09:29 UTC | 17°35′ Pisces | No |
| Jan 25 to Mar 23 | Full Moon, Mar 22, 2027 · 10:43 UTC | 1°35′ Libra | No |
| May 26 to Jul 19 | New Moon, Jun 4, 2027 · 19:40 UTC | 13°58′ Gemini | No |
| May 26 to Jul 19 | Full Moon, Jun 19, 2027 · 00:44 UTC | 27°33′ Sagittarius | No |
| May 26 to Jul 19 | New Moon, Jul 4, 2027 · 03:02 UTC | 11°57′ Cancer | No |
| May 26 to Jul 19 | Full Moon, Jul 18, 2027 · 15:44 UTC | 25°49′ Capricorn | Penumbral lunar eclipse |
| Sep 17 to Nov 13 | New Moon, Sep 30, 2027 · 02:36 UTC | 6°43′ Libra | No |
| Sep 17 to Nov 13 | Full Moon, Oct 15, 2027 · 13:47 UTC | 21°59′ Aries | No |
| Sep 17 to Nov 13 | New Moon, Oct 29, 2027 · 13:36 UTC | 5°54′ Scorpio | No |
All times are UTC. In the Americas the local date can be a day earlier; in Asia and Australia a day later.
Quick answers
When is Mercury retrograde in 2027?
Three times: Feb 9, 2027 to Mar 3, 2027 (Pisces into Aquarius); Jun 10, 2027 to Jul 4, 2027 (Cancer into Gemini); Oct 7, 2027 to Oct 28, 2027 (Scorpio into Libra). Times are UTC; far east or far west of Greenwich the local date of a station can shift by a day.
When is Mercury retrograde in February 2027?
Mercury stations retrograde on Feb 9, 2027 at 17:36 UTC (5°59′ Pisces) and turns direct on Mar 3, 2027 (20°55′ Aquarius). It backs from Pisces into Aquarius on Feb 18. Valentine's Day falls inside the retrograde.
What are the Mercury retrograde 2027 shadow dates?
Pre-shadow Jan 25, 2027, shadow ends Mar 23, 2027; Pre-shadow May 26, 2027, shadow ends Jul 19, 2027; Pre-shadow Sep 17, 2027, shadow ends Nov 13, 2027. Together the three loops cover 168 days of 2027.
What sign is Mercury retrograde in 2027?
Each one crosses a sign line: Feb 9 to Mar 3 goes from Pisces back into Aquarius; Jun 10 to Jul 4 goes from Cancer back into Gemini; Oct 7 to Oct 28 goes from Scorpio back into Libra. All three start in a water sign and back into an air sign.
Is there an eclipse during Mercury retrograde 2027?
Inside the shadows, yes: the annular solar eclipse on Feb 6, 2027, the penumbral lunar eclipse on Feb 20, 2027, the penumbral lunar eclipse on Jul 18, 2027, matched against NASA's eclipse catalogue. The total solar eclipse of Aug 2, 2027 falls in a clean window.
How long does Mercury retrograde last in 2027?
Feb 9 to Mar 3: 21.8 days retrograde, 56.8 days including shadows; Jun 10 to Jul 4: 24.1 days retrograde, 54.1 days including shadows; Oct 7 to Oct 28: 21 days retrograde, 57.1 days including shadows. 66.9 retrograde days in all.
When is the next Mercury retrograde after 2027?
The first of 2028 starts Jan 24, 2028 at 19°42′ Aquarius and ends Feb 14, 2028. Its pre-shadow begins Jan 8, 2028, so the last clean window of 2027 runs Nov 13, 2027 to Jan 8, 2028.
Is it bad to start something during Mercury retrograde 2027?
Astrology treats it as a tradition, not a ban. The usual advice is to read the small print, back up, and confirm plans in writing. If the date is yours to choose, the clean windows are Mar 23 to May 26, Jul 19 to Sep 17, Nov 13 to Jan 8 (the last runs into 2028).
