Mercury retrograde 2024: 4 periods, 68 days inside the year — 18.6% of 2024. Mercury turned direct at 3:08 AM UTC on January 2 at 22°10′ Sagittarius and turned retrograde at 10:15 PM UTC on April 1 at 27°13′ Aries. The other 5 stations are in the table below.
Turns direct
Jan 2 3:08 AM UTC
Loops in 2024
4 retrograde periods
Retrograde in 2024
68 days 18.6% of the year
Signs
Capricorn, Aries, Virgo, Sagittarius last loop retreats 16.28°
Apparent position of Mercury against the zodiac, Dec 7, 2023 – Dec 31, 2024
RetrogradeShadowR — stations retrograde · D — stations direct
Mercury starts 2024 at 22°16′ Sagittarius and ends it at 19°52′ Sagittarius — 357.6° of net progress: 397.9° forward, 40.3° given back. Its four loops retrace 16.31°, 11.24°, 12.7° and 16.28° (20, 24, 24 and 20 days). Fastest day: Jun 12, 2.2° forward; fastest backward: Dec 5, 1.38°. Counting the shadows, 187 days of 2024 sit inside a retrograde window.
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Exact times
Mercury retrograde 2024: exact times in your city
Mercury turned direct at 3:08 AM UTC on January 2, 2024 at 22°10′ Sagittarius — 12:08 AM in Santiago, 10:08 PM on January 1 in New York, 3:08 AM in London and 12:08 PM in Tokyo.
Stations from the NASA JPL DE440 ephemeris. Swiss Ephemeris agrees on every Mercury station 1900–2050: all within a minute. Local times: IANA time zones, to the minute.
20 days · retreats 16.31°
· crosses the year boundary
December 13, 2023 → January 2, 2024 in Capricorn
Stations retrograde
Dec 13, 2023, 7:09 AM UTC at
8°29′ Capricorn
Stations direct
Jan 2, 2024, 3:08 AM UTC at
22°10′ Sagittarius
Shadow opens
Nov 25, 2023, 12:40 PM UTC
(18 days before)
Shadow closes
Jan 21, 2024, 4:04 AM UTC
(19 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
Only 1 of its 20 days fall in 2024 — the loop
belongs mostly to 2023. The reading of the sign, the season and the
other planets retrograde alongside it is on
Mercury retrograde 2023.
24 days · retreats 11.24°
April 1 → April 25, 2024 in Aries
Stations retrograde
Apr 1, 2024, 10:15 PM UTC at
27°13′ Aries
Stations direct
Apr 25, 2024, 12:54 PM UTC at
15°58′ Aries
Shadow opens
Mar 19, 2024, 3:39 AM UTC
(14 days before)
Shadow closes
May 13, 2024, 9:01 AM UTC
(18 days after)
Full window including shadows55 days
The April loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 11.24° between 15°58′ Aries and 27°13′ Aries three times: forward in the pre-shadow (14 days), back while retrograde (24 days), forward again in the post-shadow (18 days).
Mercury retrograde in Aries
In Aries the retrograde tends to show up as hasty words and rushed decisions coming back for review. Messages sent in anger, plans launched without checking and arguments started on impulse are the classic material. The useful version is slower starts: finish the draft, reread it, then press send.
It begins in Aries season and ends in
Taurus season.
No other planet is retrograde during this period, which is unusual.
Stations retrograde
Aug 5, 2024, 4:56 AM UTC at
4°06′ Virgo
Stations direct
Aug 28, 2024, 9:14 PM UTC at
21°24′ Leo
Shadow opens
Jul 17, 2024, 3:51 AM UTC
(19 days before)
Shadow closes
Sep 11, 2024, 11:52 PM UTC
(14 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The August loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 12.7° between 21°24′ Leo and 4°06′ Virgo three times: forward in the pre-shadow (19 days), back while retrograde (24 days), forward again in the post-shadow (14 days).
Mercury retrograde in Virgo
In Virgo, Mercury's other home sign, the retrograde focuses on work routines, health and detail. Schedules unravel, small errors multiply, and systems that seemed fine reveal flaws. It is ideal for audits, decluttering and fixing processes before starting anything new.
…and back into Leo
In Leo the retrograde touches creative projects, self-expression and romance. Work you shelved asks to be finished, performances need rehearsing again, and an old flame may reappear. It is a good window for revising creative work rather than launching it.
It begins in Leo season and ends in
Virgo season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Saturn
in Pisces —
Aug 5 to Aug 28, 2024 (24 days of overlap)
Neptune
in Pisces —
Aug 5 to Aug 28, 2024 (24 days of overlap)
Pluto
in Aquarius —
Aug 5 to Aug 28, 2024 (24 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Nov 26, 2024, 2:42 AM UTC at
22°40′ Sagittarius
Stations direct
Dec 15, 2024, 8:56 PM UTC at
6°23′ Sagittarius
Shadow opens
Nov 7, 2024, 12:32 PM UTC
(19 days before)
Shadow closes
Jan 3, 2025, 3:15 AM UTC
(18 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The November loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 16.28° between 6°23′ Sagittarius and 22°40′ Sagittarius three times: forward in the pre-shadow (19 days), back while retrograde (20 days), forward again in the post-shadow (18 days).
Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius
In Sagittarius the retrograde affects travel, study and beliefs. Journeys are delayed, paperwork for visas or courses gets stuck, and opinions stated too confidently need walking back. It suits revisiting plans for the bigger picture before committing to them.
It begins and ends within Sagittarius season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Jupiter
in Gemini —
Nov 26 to Dec 15, 2024 (20 days of overlap)
Uranus
in Taurus —
Nov 26 to Dec 15, 2024 (20 days of overlap)
Neptune
in Pisces —
Nov 26 to Dec 7, 2024 (12 days of overlap)
Mars
in Leo —
Dec 6 to Dec 15, 2024 (9 days of overlap)
Both dates are computed from the planet’s apparent motion, not taken from a
table. A retrograde begins the moment its daily movement against the stars turns
negative, and that moment is findable to the hour.
Computed for 2024
Mercury through the zodiac in 2024
Every sign Mercury occupies during 2024, with the dates it enters and leaves. A sign that
appears twice means the planet backed into the previous sign during a retrograde and crossed again.
AstroHot. “Mercury Retrograde 2024: Until Jan 2, Apr 1, Aug 5, Nov 26.” Accessed October 28, 2026. https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/2024/
For Wikipedia{{cite web |title=Mercury Retrograde 2024: Until Jan 2, Apr 1, Aug 5, Nov 26 |url=https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/2024/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-28}}
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