Retrogrades › Mercury › 2023
Mercury is retrograde three times in 2023: Apr 21 – May 14 in Taurus; Aug 23 – Sep 15 in Virgo; Dec 13 – Jan 1 in Capricorn and Sagittarius.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 12, 2022 | Dec 29, 2022, 4:32 AM ET | Jan 18, 2023, 8:10 AM ET | Feb 7, 2023 | 24°21′ ♑︎ Capricorn 8°08′ |
| Apr 7, 2023 | Apr 21, 2023, 4:31 AM ET | May 14, 2023, 11:19 PM ET | May 31, 2023 | 15°37′ ♉︎ Taurus 5°51′ |
| Aug 3, 2023 | Aug 23, 2023, 4:00 PM ET | Sep 15, 2023, 4:20 PM ET | Sep 30, 2023 | 21°51′ ♍︎ Virgo 8°00′ |
| Nov 25, 2023 | Dec 13, 2023, 2:07 AM ET | Jan 1, 2024, 10:09 PM ET | Jan 20, 2024 | 8°29′ ♑︎ Capricorn → ♐︎ Sagittarius 22°11′ |
Dec 29, 2022 – Jan 18, 2023 · 20 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 24°21′ Capricorn on Dec 29, 2022, 4:32 AM ET (2022-12-29 09:32 UTC) and direct at 8°08′ Capricorn on Jan 18, 2023, 8:10 AM ET (2023-01-18 13:10 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to career, authority and long-term plans.
Shadow: Dec 12, 2022 – Feb 7, 2023.
Apr 21, 2023 – May 14, 2023 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 15°37′ Taurus on Apr 21, 2023, 4:31 AM ET (2023-04-21 08:31 UTC) and direct at 5°51′ Taurus on May 14, 2023, 11:19 PM ET (2023-05-15 03:19 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to money, possessions and comfort.
Shadow: Apr 7, 2023 – May 31, 2023.
Aug 23, 2023 – Sep 15, 2023 · 23 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 21°51′ Virgo on Aug 23, 2023, 4:00 PM ET (2023-08-23 20:00 UTC) and direct at 8°00′ Virgo on Sep 15, 2023, 4:20 PM ET (2023-09-15 20:20 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to work routines, health and details.
Shadow: Aug 3, 2023 – Sep 30, 2023.
Dec 13, 2023 – Jan 1, 2024 · 20 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 8°29′ Capricorn on Dec 13, 2023, 2:07 AM ET (2023-12-13 07:07 UTC) and direct at 22°11′ Sagittarius on Jan 1, 2024, 10:09 PM ET (2024-01-02 03:09 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to career, authority and long-term plans, then travel, education and beliefs.
Shadow: Nov 25, 2023 – Jan 20, 2024.
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 2023 · Mars retrograde 2023 · Jupiter retrograde 2023 · Saturn retrograde 2023 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 2023: Apr 21 – May 14 in Taurus; Aug 23 – Sep 15 in Virgo; Dec 13 – Jan 1 in Capricorn and Sagittarius. The year also opens with the retrograde that began on Dec 29, 2022, ending Jan 18, 2023.
About 83 days in total during 2023; each retrograde lasts 24 days, 23 days and 20 days. Including the pre- and post-shadow, each cycle spans roughly 54 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.