Retrogrades › Mercury › 2021
Mercury is retrograde three times in 2021: Jan 30 – Feb 20 in Aquarius; May 29 – Jun 22 in Gemini; Sep 27 – Oct 18 in Libra.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 15, 2021 | Jan 30, 2021, 10:52 AM ET | Feb 20, 2021, 7:55 PM ET | Mar 13, 2021 | 26°29′ ♒︎ Aquarius 11°01′ |
| May 14, 2021 | May 29, 2021, 6:28 PM ET | Jun 22, 2021, 6:09 PM ET | Jul 7, 2021 | 24°43′ ♊︎ Gemini 16°08′ |
| Sep 6, 2021 | Sep 27, 2021, 1:10 AM ET | Oct 18, 2021, 11:19 AM ET | Nov 2, 2021 | 25°28′ ♎︎ Libra 10°08′ |
Jan 30, 2021 – Feb 20, 2021 · 21 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 26°29′ Aquarius on Jan 30, 2021, 10:52 AM ET (2021-01-30 15:52 UTC) and direct at 11°01′ Aquarius on Feb 20, 2021, 7:55 PM ET (2021-02-21 00:55 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to friends, groups and future goals.
Shadow: Jan 15, 2021 – Mar 13, 2021.
May 29, 2021 – Jun 22, 2021 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 24°43′ Gemini on May 29, 2021, 6:28 PM ET (2021-05-29 22:28 UTC) and direct at 16°08′ Gemini on Jun 22, 2021, 6:09 PM ET (2021-06-22 22:09 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to everyday communication, siblings and short trips.
Shadow: May 14, 2021 – Jul 7, 2021.
Sep 27, 2021 – Oct 18, 2021 · 21 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 25°28′ Libra on Sep 27, 2021, 1:10 AM ET (2021-09-27 05:10 UTC) and direct at 10°08′ Libra on Oct 18, 2021, 11:19 AM ET (2021-10-18 15:19 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to partnerships, agreements and fairness.
Shadow: Sep 6, 2021 – Nov 2, 2021.
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 2021 · Jupiter retrograde 2021 · Saturn retrograde 2021 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 2021: Jan 30 – Feb 20 in Aquarius; May 29 – Jun 22 in Gemini; Sep 27 – Oct 18 in Libra.
About 67 days in total during 2021; each retrograde lasts 21 days, 24 days and 21 days. Including the pre- and post-shadow, each cycle spans roughly 57 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.