In 2027 each Mercury retrograde starts in a water sign and backs up into an air sign: Pisces into Aquarius, Cancer into Gemini, Scorpio into Libra. Here are the exact times, the degrees and the shadow periods.
Three times a year Mercury seems to stop, back up for about three weeks, and go forward again. Things you thought were settled come back for a second reading.
The shadow is the stretch of sky that Mercury crosses three times. It enters the shadow before it turns retrograde and leaves it after it turns direct.
Each 2027 retrograde starts in a water sign and backs up into an air sign. It opens with a feeling and closes with an argument. You may feel hurt in February and only find the words for it in March. Give the words time to catch up with the feeling.
Mercury crosses the shadow, 20°55′ Aquarius to 5°58′ Pisces, three times: forward, back, then forward again.Turns retrograde 5°58′ Pisces, Feb 9Mercury slows, stands still and starts to move back over ground it has already crossed once.Turns direct 20°55′ Aquarius, Mar 3Mercury stands still again and turns forward. It crosses the shadow a third time before it reaches new degrees.Mercury retrogradeMercury retrograde isn't a curse — it's a backward sweep through topics already on the table. Expect old conversations to resurface, technology to glitch, and second-guessing to come easy. Edit, don't initiate.
Mercury crosses the shadow, 27°28′ Gemini to 6°21′ Cancer, three times: forward, back, then forward again.Turns retrograde 6°21′ Cancer, Jun 10Mercury slows, stands still and starts to move back over ground it has already crossed once.Turns direct 27°28′ Gemini, Jul 4Mercury stands still again and turns forward. It crosses the shadow a third time before it reaches new degrees.Mercury retrogradeMercury retrograde isn't a curse — it's a backward sweep through topics already on the table. Expect old conversations to resurface, technology to glitch, and second-guessing to come easy. Edit, don't initiate.
Mercury crosses the shadow, 19°18′ Libra to 4°55′ Scorpio, three times: forward, back, then forward again.Turns retrograde 4°55′ Scorpio, Oct 7Mercury slows, stands still and starts to move back over ground it has already crossed once.Turns direct 19°18′ Libra, Oct 28Mercury stands still again and turns forward. It crosses the shadow a third time before it reaches new degrees.Mercury retrogradeMercury retrograde isn't a curse — it's a backward sweep through topics already on the table. Expect old conversations to resurface, technology to glitch, and second-guessing to come easy. Edit, don't initiate.
Exact time
Where
Shadow begins
19°18′ Libra
Enters Scorpio
0° Scorpio
Turns retrograde
4°55′ Scorpio
Moves back into Libra
0° Scorpio
Turns direct
19°18′ Libra
Enters Scorpio
0° Scorpio
Shadow ends
4°55′ Scorpio
Times are in UTC.
Which retrograde touches you
The degrees in the tables are the part of the zodiac that Mercury goes over again. Each 2027 retrograde covers two signs, so it can reach two areas of your chart. Solstice checks this against your own chart and tells you which parts of your life it reviews.
Calculated with the Swiss Ephemeris, tropical zodiac. Updated Nov 6, 2026.
Where does Mercury retrograde fall in your chart?
Each retrograde covers a short stretch of the zodiac. If that stretch crosses a planet in your chart, that is the one to watch. Solstice checks it for you.
