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Mercury Retrograde, 24 October – 13 November 2026

Mercury turns back through Scorpio this autumn. Here are the exact dates, degrees and shadow period, and what the review asks of each Sun sign.

Mercury's last retrograde of 2026 runs from 24 October to 13 November, and the whole of it happens inside Scorpio. If you have heard that Mercury retrograde means broken phones and cancelled plans, set that aside for a moment. What the sky actually shows is quieter and more useful: three weeks when the planet of thinking and talking goes back over ground it has just covered, and so do we.

Every date and degree on this page was calculated with the Swiss Ephemeris, the same astronomical library behind every Sky Above chart. Times are in Universal Time (UT); your local clock will show a different hour, and in some places a different date.

The Dates at a Glance

Pre-shadow begins: 4 October 2026. Mercury reaches 5°02' Scorpio, the degree where the retrograde will later end. Anything that starts to surface from here is likely to come back for review.

Mercury stations retrograde: 24 October 2026, 07:12 UT, at 20°58' Scorpio. Mercury appears to stand still, then begins to move backward through the zodiac.

Mercury meets the Sun: 4 November 2026, at 12°10' Scorpio. The middle of the retrograde, when Mercury passes between the Earth and the Sun. Astrologers often treat this as the moment the review comes into focus.

Mercury stations direct: 13 November 2026, 15:53 UT, at 5°02' Scorpio. Mercury pauses again and turns forward.

Post-shadow ends: 30 November 2026. Mercury returns to 20°58' Scorpio, the degree where it first turned back. From here it moves into new territory, and the cycle is complete.

So the retrograde itself lasts just under three weeks, and the full arc, shadow to shadow, runs from early October to the last day of November.

Why Scorpio Matters

Scorpio is the sign of what sits under the surface: trust, shared resources, private feelings, the things we tend to keep to ourselves. Mercury here thinks in depth rather than breadth. It wants the real story, not the summary.

A Mercury retrograde in Scorpio tends to bring back conversations that were never quite finished, questions about money or commitments you share with someone, and thoughts you have been carrying without saying out loud. None of this is a crisis. It is an invitation to look again, more honestly, at something you already half know.

How to Work With It

The old advice still holds, with a calmer framing. Read agreements twice before you sign. Back up the files you care about. Leave a little extra time for travel and for replies. If you can choose, launch brand-new projects after 13 November, and use the retrograde for the work that starts with "re": revising, reconnecting, reconsidering, returning.

Most of all, notice what comes back. A person who gets in touch, an idea you shelved in early October, a feeling that returns in the same shape. The retrograde tends to bring these things around again so you can deal with them more clearly the second time.

What It Means for Your Sun Sign

For each sign, the area of life below is the part of your chart that Scorpio occupies when your Sun sign is treated as the first house. It is a useful starting point. Your full chart, with your exact birth time, shows the precise house and any planets this retrograde touches directly.

Aries

This retrograde moves through the part of your chart linked to shared money, debts and deep trust. It is a good time to review joint finances or a commitment you made quickly, and to ask what you are really agreeing to.

Taurus

Mercury goes back over your partnerships. A conversation with someone close may need a second, slower pass. Listening for what was meant, not only what was said, will help more than winning the point.

Gemini

Your daily routines, work habits and health rhythms come up for revision. Small adjustments made now, to a schedule, a system or a habit, tend to last.

Cancer

Creativity, play and romance are under review. An old creative project or a past spark may return. You can decide, with fresh eyes, whether it still has something to give you.

Leo

Home and family are the focus. Expect conversations about where you live or how your household runs. Take your time with decisions about space; the clearer answer often arrives after mid-November.

Virgo

Mercury is your ruling planet, and this retrograde moves through the part of your chart linked to everyday communication, siblings and your local world. Messages may need resending and plans rechecking. You are well equipped to be the one who makes things clear.

Libra

Money you earn and what you value come up for review. It is a sensible window to look over spending, pricing or a contract, and to ask whether your effort and your rewards still match.

Scorpio

This one happens in your own sign, so it feels personal. You may find yourself rethinking how you present yourself or what you want next. Give yourself room to change your mind; that is the point of the season.

Sagittarius

The retrograde moves through the quiet, behind-the-scenes part of your chart. Rest, reflection and time alone are productive here. Thoughts you have been avoiding may surface gently, and you can meet them at your own pace.

Capricorn

Friendships, groups and longer-term hopes are in focus. An old friend or a past goal may return. It is a good moment to check that your plans still reflect what you actually want.

Aquarius

Mercury reviews your career and public direction. A work conversation or decision may be revisited. Use the time to refine the plan rather than replace it.

Pisces

Beliefs, study, travel and the bigger picture come up for reflection. Plans involving distance may shift, and a subject you once loved could draw you back.

The Shape of the Season

Retrogrades are cycles, not events. This one starts quietly in early October, deepens through late October and early November, and resolves by the end of the month. If something feels unsettled in the middle, that is usually the review doing its work. By December, Mercury moves into fresh ground, and you move on with a clearer view of what you went back for.

For a broader guide to how retrogrades work, read Mercury Retrograde: What It Actually Means. To see where Scorpio falls in your own chart, and which of your placements this retrograde touches, start with your free chart reading.