Sky calendar
Mercury Retrograde 2027
In plain English Three times in 2027, Mercury looks like it is moving backward for about three weeks. Here are the exact dates.
Mercury goes retrograde three times in 2027: Feb 9 to Mar 3 (Pisces to Aquarius); Jun 10 to Jul 4 (Cancer to Gemini); Oct 7 to Oct 28 (Scorpio to Libra). Each lasts about three weeks, and the tables give exact station times in Central and UTC.
The three dates at a glance
In plain EnglishMercury appears to slow down, stop and reverse three times this year. Each period lasts about three weeks.
| Retrograde | Starts | Ends | Signs | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retrograde 1 | Feb 9, 2027 | Mar 3, 2027 | Pisces to Aquarius | 22 |
| Retrograde 2 | Jun 10, 2027 | Jul 4, 2027 | Cancer to Gemini | 24 |
| Retrograde 3 | Oct 7, 2027 | Oct 28, 2027 | Scorpio to Libra | 21 |
A planet is said to station when it seems to stop before changing direction. Mercury stations retrograde at the start and stations direct at the end. The exact moment is in each table below, in US Central time and in UTC. The Central dates in this table are the same as the UTC dates for every station this year.
Exact times, shadows and notes
In plain Englishthe shadow is the stretch of zodiac Mercury covers three times: once going forward before the retrograde, once going backward, and once going forward again afterward.
Shadow dates are an astrological convention, and astrologers do not all use them. We compute them from the same positions as the stations: the pre-shadow begins when Mercury first reaches the degree where it will station direct, and the post-shadow ends when it returns to the degree where it stationed retrograde. Skip the shadow rows if you only follow the retrograde itself.
Retrograde 1: Feb 9 to Mar 3
| Phase | Central | UTC | Mercury at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-shadow begins | Mon, Jan 25, 12:59 PM CST | Jan 25, 18:59 UTC | 20°55′ Aquarius |
| Stations retrograde | Tue, Feb 9, 11:36 AM CST | Feb 9, 17:36 UTC | 5°58′ Pisces |
| Stations direct | Wed, Mar 3, 6:35 AM CST | Mar 3, 12:35 UTC | 20°55′ Aquarius |
| Post-shadow ends | Tue, Mar 23, 10:00 AM CDT | Mar 23, 15:00 UTC | 5°58′ Pisces |
This one begins in Pisces and backs into Aquarius on Feb 18. Pisces messages are vague and hopeful, Aquarius ones are about groups and systems. Expect a yes that was never quite a yes, and a group plan that changes after you thought it was settled. It is a good stretch for reopening an unfinished creative draft. During it: the Feb 20 full moon in Virgo and the Feb 20 penumbral lunar eclipse.
Retrograde 2: Jun 10 to Jul 4
| Phase | Central | UTC | Mercury at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-shadow begins | Wed, May 26, 1:05 AM CDT | May 26, 06:05 UTC | 27°28′ Gemini |
| Stations retrograde | Thu, Jun 10, 1:19 PM CDT | Jun 10, 18:19 UTC | 6°21′ Cancer |
| Stations direct | Sun, Jul 4, 2:40 PM CDT | Jul 4, 19:40 UTC | 27°28′ Gemini |
| Post-shadow ends | Mon, Jul 19, 3:43 AM CDT | Jul 19, 08:43 UTC | 6°21′ Cancer |
This one starts in Cancer, the sign of home and family, and backs into Gemini, the sign of schedules, paperwork and small errors. It ends on Jul 4, and Independence Day travel falls inside the retrograde and its post-shadow. Keep confirmation emails, build slack into connections and reread the details of anything with a date on it. During it: the Jun 18 full moon in Sagittarius and the Jul 3 new moon in Cancer.
Retrograde 3: Oct 7 to Oct 28
| Phase | Central | UTC | Mercury at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-shadow begins | Fri, Sep 17, 2:28 AM CDT | Sep 17, 07:28 UTC | 19°18′ Libra |
| Stations retrograde | Thu, Oct 7, 9:40 AM CDT | Oct 7, 14:40 UTC | 4°55′ Scorpio |
| Stations direct | Thu, Oct 28, 9:11 AM CDT | Oct 28, 14:11 UTC | 19°18′ Libra |
| Post-shadow ends | Sat, Nov 13, 3:55 AM CST | Nov 13, 09:55 UTC | 4°55′ Scorpio |
This one starts in Scorpio, where old private threads (an unanswered message, a conversation you dropped) tend to resurface, and backs into Libra, the sign of agreements and fairness. Reread terms before you sign anything. The Oct 15 full moon in Aries falls inside it. During it: the Oct 15 full moon in Aries.
What Mercury retrograde means in practice
In plain Englishnothing breaks because of the sky. The retrograde is a reminder to slow down and check the details.
In astrology, Mercury rules messages, schedules, short trips and devices. A retrograde is the traditional time to double-check what you send, confirm what you booked and avoid rushing a launch. It is also a time people use to finish, revise and reconnect with old projects rather than start new ones. Astrologers split on how much weight to give the shadow, and there is no scientific evidence that Mercury changes how technology or communication behaves.
If you want to see how a retrograde touches your own chart, use the birth chart calculator and look at which house Mercury is moving through, or check today’s sky to see whether Mercury is retrograde right now. The other retrograde planets are on the 2027 retrogrades page.
Questions people ask
- When is Mercury retrograde in 2027?
- Feb 9 to Mar 3, Jun 10 to Jul 4 and Oct 7 to Oct 28 (Central dates). Mercury stations retrograde at 11:36 AM on Feb 9, 1:19 PM on Jun 10 and 9:40 AM on Oct 7, US Central.
- What are the Mercury retrograde shadow dates in 2027?
- The pre-shadow begins on Jan 25, May 26 and Sep 17. The post-shadow ends on Mar 23, Jul 19 and Nov 13. Shadow dates are an astrological convention for the stretch when Mercury covers the same degrees of the zodiac before and after the retrograde.
- Is Mercury really moving backward?
- No. Mercury always moves forward. From Earth it only looks like it reverses, the way a slower car seems to slide backward when you pass it on the highway.
For entertainment and self-reflection.