Mercury retrograde 2030: 4 periods, 77 days inside the year — 21.1% of 2030. Mercury turns direct at 5:46 AM UTC on January 11 at 1°26′ Capricorn and turns retrograde at 2:33 AM UTC on April 13 at 7°48′ Taurus. The other 5 stations are in the table below.
Turns direct
Jan 11 5:46 AM UTC
Loops in 2030
4 retrograde periods
Retrograde in 2030
77 days 21.1% of the year
Signs
Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo last loop retreats 16.31°
Apparent position of Mercury against the zodiac, Dec 16, 2029 – Dec 31, 2030
RetrogradeShadowR — stations retrograde · D — stations direct
Mercury starts 2030 at 9°27′ Capricorn and ends it at 18°03′ Sagittarius — 338.6° of net progress: 386.7° forward, 48.1° given back. Its four loops retrace 16.27°, 10.36°, 13.39° and 16.31° (20, 24, 23 and 20 days). Fastest day: Jun 22, 2.2° forward; fastest backward: Dec 15, 1.38°. Counting the shadows, 185 days of 2030 sit inside a retrograde window.
18 pages · printable
The 2027 Sky Calendar — free PDF
Every retrograde, eclipse, new and full moon of 2027 to the minute,
already converted to your city. A month to a page, ready to print.
Exact times
Mercury retrograde 2030: exact times in your city
Mercury turns direct at 5:46 AM UTC on January 11, 2030 at 1°26′ Capricorn — 2:46 AM in Santiago, 12:46 AM in New York, 5:46 AM in London and 2:46 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 16.27°
· crosses the year boundary
December 22, 2029 → January 11, 2030 in Capricorn
Stations retrograde
Dec 22, 2029, 5:51 AM UTC at
17°42′ Capricorn
Stations direct
Jan 11, 2030, 5:46 AM UTC at
1°26′ Capricorn
Shadow opens
Dec 4, 2029, 11:17 PM UTC
(17 days before)
Shadow closes
Jan 30, 2030, 3:54 PM UTC
(19 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The December loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 16.27° between 1°26′ Capricorn and 17°42′ Capricorn three times: forward in the pre-shadow (17 days), back while retrograde (20 days), forward again in the post-shadow (19 days).
Mercury retrograde in Capricorn
In Capricorn the retrograde hits career plans, authority and long-term structures. Deadlines slip, approvals are delayed and managers change their minds. It is traditionally used for reviewing goals and reorganizing rather than for starting new ventures.
It begins and ends within Capricorn season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Venus
in Capricorn —
Dec 22 to Jan 11, 2030 (20 days of overlap)
Saturn
in Taurus —
Dec 22 to Jan 11, 2030 (20 days of overlap)
Uranus
in Gemini —
Dec 22 to Jan 11, 2030 (20 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Apr 13, 2030, 2:33 AM UTC at
7°48′ Taurus
Stations direct
May 6, 2030, 8:15 PM UTC at
27°26′ Aries
Shadow opens
Mar 30, 2030, 7:49 AM UTC
(14 days before)
Shadow closes
May 24, 2030, 12:39 AM UTC
(17 days after)
Full window including shadows55 days
The April loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 10.36° between 27°26′ Aries and 7°48′ Taurus three times: forward in the pre-shadow (14 days), back while retrograde (24 days), forward again in the post-shadow (17 days).
Mercury retrograde in Taurus
In Taurus the retrograde lands on money, possessions and practical plans. Purchases get returned, payments are delayed, and decisions about property or savings are revisited. It is traditionally a good window for reviewing budgets rather than making large new commitments.
…and back into 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.
Also retrograde at the same time
Jupiter
in Scorpio —
Apr 13 to May 6, 2030 (24 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Aug 16, 2030, 1:20 AM UTC at
14°30′ Virgo
Stations direct
Sep 8, 2030, 9:28 AM UTC at
1°06′ Virgo
Shadow opens
Jul 27, 2030, 12:48 PM UTC
(20 days before)
Shadow closes
Sep 22, 2030, 2:58 PM UTC
(14 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The August loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 13.39° between 1°06′ Virgo and 14°30′ Virgo three times: forward in the pre-shadow (20 days), back while retrograde (23 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.
It begins in Leo season and ends in
Virgo season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Neptune
in Aries —
Aug 16 to Sep 8, 2030 (23 days of overlap)
Pluto
in Aquarius —
Aug 16 to Sep 8, 2030 (23 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Dec 6, 2030, 2:47 AM UTC at
1°51′ Capricorn
Stations direct
Dec 25, 2030, 9:14 PM UTC at
15°33′ Sagittarius
Shadow opens
Nov 17, 2030, 11:57 PM UTC
(18 days before)
Shadow closes
Jan 13, 2031, 2:46 PM UTC
(19 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The December loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 16.31° between 15°33′ Sagittarius and 1°51′ Capricorn three times: forward in the pre-shadow (18 days), back while retrograde (20 days), forward again in the post-shadow (19 days).
Mercury retrograde in Capricorn
In Capricorn the retrograde hits career plans, authority and long-term structures. Deadlines slip, approvals are delayed and managers change their minds. It is traditionally used for reviewing goals and reorganizing rather than for starting new ventures.
…and back into 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 in Sagittarius season and ends in
Capricorn season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Saturn
in Gemini —
Dec 6 to Dec 25, 2030 (20 days of overlap)
Uranus
in Gemini —
Dec 6 to Dec 25, 2030 (20 days of overlap)
Neptune
in Aries —
Dec 6 to Dec 21, 2030 (16 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 2030
Mercury through the zodiac in 2030
Every sign Mercury occupies during 2030, 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 2030: Until Jan 11, Apr 13, Aug 16, Dec 6.” Accessed October 28, 2026. https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/2030/
For Wikipedia{{cite web |title=Mercury Retrograde 2030: Until Jan 11, Apr 13, Aug 16, Dec 6 |url=https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/2030/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-28}}
Free · PDF · 18 pages
The 2027 Sky Calendar
Every retrograde, eclipse, new and full moon of 2027 — to the minute, printed in your own time zone.
