CosmyDay

Retrograde Calendar 2026

Every planetary retrograde active during 2026 — exact station dates for Mercury through Pluto, computed from the Swiss Ephemeris and shown in US Eastern Time.

✦Reviewed by the CosmyDay Astrology TeamLast reviewed October 2026

Mercury Retrograde 2026

  • ☿February 26, 2026 → March 20, 2026Stations retrograde at 23° Pisces, direct at 8° Pisces
  • ☿June 29, 2026 → July 23, 2026Stations retrograde at 26° Cancer, direct at 16° Cancer
  • ☿October 24, 2026 → November 13, 2026Stations retrograde at 21° Scorpio, direct at 5° Scorpio

All Retrogrades Active in 2026

PlanetRetrograde beginsGoes directFrom → to
♅UranusSeptember 6, 2025February 3, 20261° Gemini → 27° Taurus
♃JupiterNovember 11, 2025March 10, 202625° Cancer → 15° Cancer
☿MercuryFebruary 26, 2026March 20, 202623° Pisces → 8° Pisces
♇PlutoMay 6, 2026October 15, 20266° Aquarius → 3° Aquarius
☿MercuryJune 29, 2026July 23, 202626° Cancer → 16° Cancer
♆NeptuneJuly 7, 2026December 12, 20264° Aries → 2° Aries
♄SaturnJuly 26, 2026December 10, 202615° Aries → 8° Aries
♅UranusSeptember 10, 2026February 8, 20276° Gemini → 2° Gemini
♀VenusOctober 3, 2026November 13, 20268° Scorpio → 23° Libra
☿MercuryOctober 24, 2026November 13, 202621° Scorpio → 5° Scorpio
♃JupiterDecember 12, 2026April 12, 202727° Leo → 17° Leo

A period that begins in 2025 or ends in 2027 is listed, because it is active during 2026. All times US Eastern. Source: Swiss Ephemeris.

What to expect from 2026

Mercury turns retrograde 3 times in 2026; three is the usual count, with the occasional year of four. The slower planets each contribute at most one period, but those periods are far longer: Saturn covers roughly four and a half months, and Uranus, Neptune and Pluto around five each, so most of 2026 falls inside some retrograde or other. That is normal rather than ominous, and it is why blaming any given difficulty on "a retrograde" is usually unfalsifiable.

What actually varies is which degrees get worked over. A station at 6° Pisces matters to someone with a planet near 6° Pisces and passes almost unnoticed by everyone else. Cast your free natal chart and compare the station degrees above against your own placements.

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Frequently asked questions

When is Mercury retrograde in 2026?

Mercury is retrograde 3 times in 2026: February 26, 2026 to March 20, 2026; June 29, 2026 to July 23, 2026; October 24, 2026 to November 13, 2026 (US Eastern Time).

How many retrogrades are there in 2026?

11 retrograde periods are active during 2026, counting those that begin in 2025 or end in 2027. Mercury accounts for 3 of them; every slower planet turns retrograde at most once a year, and Uranus, Neptune and Pluto do so every year for roughly five months.

How were these dates calculated?

Each station is computed directly from the Swiss Ephemeris by locating the moment the planet's apparent longitudinal speed crosses zero, then localizing that instant to US Eastern Time. The dates are not copied from another calendar.