Retrogrades › Mercury › 2018
Mercury is retrograde three times in 2018: Mar 22 – Apr 15 in Aries; Jul 26 – Aug 19 in Leo; Nov 16 – Dec 6 in Sagittarius and Scorpio.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 8, 2018 | Mar 22, 2018, 8:21 PM ET | Apr 15, 2018, 5:18 AM ET | May 3, 2018 | 16°54′ ♈︎ Aries 4°47′ |
| Jul 7, 2018 | Jul 26, 2018, 12:58 AM ET | Aug 19, 2018, 12:21 AM ET | Sep 2, 2018 | 23°27′ ♌︎ Leo 11°32′ |
| Oct 28, 2018 | Nov 16, 2018, 8:29 PM ET | Dec 6, 2018, 4:24 PM ET | Dec 24, 2018 | 13°30′ ♐︎ Sagittarius → ♏︎ Scorpio 27°16′ |
Mar 22, 2018 – Apr 15, 2018 · 23 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 16°54′ Aries on Mar 22, 2018, 8:21 PM ET (2018-03-23 00:21 UTC) and direct at 4°47′ Aries on Apr 15, 2018, 5:18 AM ET (2018-04-15 09:18 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to impulsive decisions, independence and new starts.
Shadow: Mar 8, 2018 – May 3, 2018.
Jul 26, 2018 – Aug 19, 2018 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 23°27′ Leo on Jul 26, 2018, 12:58 AM ET (2018-07-26 04:58 UTC) and direct at 11°32′ Leo on Aug 19, 2018, 12:21 AM ET (2018-08-19 04:21 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to creativity, romance and self-expression.
Shadow: Jul 7, 2018 – Sep 2, 2018.
Nov 16, 2018 – Dec 6, 2018 · 20 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 13°30′ Sagittarius on Nov 16, 2018, 8:29 PM ET (2018-11-17 01:29 UTC) and direct at 27°16′ Scorpio on Dec 6, 2018, 4:24 PM ET (2018-12-06 21:24 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to travel, education and beliefs, then shared money, secrets and emotional depth.
Shadow: Oct 28, 2018 – Dec 24, 2018.
Mercury rules communication, travel, technology and contracts. During its retrograde astrologers advise reviewing rather than launching: double-check messages and bookings, back up devices, and revisit old plans or conversations.
Retrograde motion is an optical effect: Earth and Mercury move at different speeds, so Mercury appears to drift backward against the stars for a while. Our dates are station times — when the apparent motion reverses — calculated with Astronomy Engine; see the methodology.
Same year: Venus retrograde 2018 · Mars retrograde 2018 · Jupiter retrograde 2018 · Saturn retrograde 2018 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 2018: Mar 22 – Apr 15 in Aries; Jul 26 – Aug 19 in Leo; Nov 16 – Dec 6 in Sagittarius and Scorpio.
About 67 days in total during 2018; each retrograde lasts 23 days, 24 days and 20 days. Including the pre- and post-shadow, each cycle spans roughly 56 days.
The pre-shadow starts when Mercury first reaches the degree where it will turn direct; the post-shadow ends when it passes the degree where it turned retrograde. The dates are in the table above.
Astrology is a symbolic and cultural tradition. The planetary positions on this site are calculated with astronomical accuracy; the interpretations describe what astrologers associate with them and are not scientifically validated predictions about personality, relationships or the future.