Sky calendar · 2026
Mercury retrograde 2026
Mercury is retrograde three times in 2026: 26 Feb – 20 Mar, 29 Jun – 23 Jul and 24 Oct – 13 Nov (UTC). Each retrograde lasts about three weeks, in Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio in the Western zodiac.
| Stations retrograde | Stations direct | Western sign | Vedic sign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Feb, 06:48 UTC your time: | 20 Mar, 19:32 UTC your time: | 22°34′ Pisces → 8°29′ Pisces | Aquarius → Aquarius |
| 29 Jun, 17:36 UTC your time: | 23 Jul, 22:57 UTC your time: | 26°15′ Cancer → 16°19′ Cancer | Cancer → Gemini |
| 24 Oct, 07:12 UTC your time: | 13 Nov, 15:53 UTC your time: | 20°59′ Scorpio → 5°02′ Scorpio | Libra → Libra |
Every planet’s retrogrades in 2026
| Planet | Retrograde | Direct | Days | Sign (Western / Vedic) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | 26 Feb, 06:48 UTC your time: | 20 Mar, 19:32 UTC your time: | 23 | Pisces / Aquarius |
| Mercury | 29 Jun, 17:36 UTC your time: | 23 Jul, 22:57 UTC your time: | 24 | Cancer / Cancer |
| Mercury | 24 Oct, 07:12 UTC your time: | 13 Nov, 15:53 UTC your time: | 20 | Scorpio / Libra |
| Venus | 3 Oct, 07:15 UTC your time: | 14 Nov, 00:27 UTC your time: | 42 | Scorpio / Libra |
| Jupiter | 11 Nov, 16:41 UTC your time: | 11 Mar, 03:30 UTC your time: | 119 | Cancer / Cancer |
| Jupiter | 13 Dec, 00:56 UTC your time: | 13 Apr, 02:11 UTC your time: | 121 | Leo / Leo |
| Saturn | 26 Jul, 19:56 UTC your time: | 10 Dec, 23:31 UTC your time: | 137 | Aries / Pisces |
| Uranus | 6 Sept, 04:51 UTC your time: | 4 Feb, 02:33 UTC your time: | 151 | Gemini / Taurus |
| Uranus | 10 Sept, 18:27 UTC your time: | 8 Feb, 12:29 UTC your time: | 151 | Gemini / Taurus |
| Neptune | 7 Jul, 10:54 UTC your time: | 12 Dec, 22:17 UTC your time: | 158 | Aries / Pisces |
| Pluto | 6 May, 15:34 UTC your time: | 16 Oct, 02:40 UTC your time: | 162 | Aquarius / Capricorn |
Questions
When is Mercury retrograde in 2026?
26 February 2026 to 20 March 2026, 29 June 2026 to 23 July 2026 and 24 October 2026 to 13 November 2026, UTC.
How long does Mercury retrograde last?
About three weeks: in 2026, 23 days, 24 days and 20 days.
Which planets are retrograde in 2026?
Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. The outer planets are retrograde for four to five months of every year.
Is a planet really moving backwards?
No. Retrograde is apparent motion: as Earth overtakes a planet (or an inner planet overtakes Earth), the planet appears from here to slide backwards against the stars for a while.
Computed with Swiss Ephemeris 2.10.03 (Moshier), the engine the Plutto app uses; times to the minute. Sidereal positions use the Lahiri ayanamsa.
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