Mercury retrograde 2042: 4 periods, 74 days inside the year — 20.2% of 2042. Mercury turns retrograde at 2:48 AM UTC on January 10 at 6°12′ Aquarius and turns direct at 3:32 PM UTC on January 30 at 20°09′ Capricorn. The other 6 stations are in the table below.
Turns retrograde
Jan 10 2:48 AM UTC
Loops in 2042
4 retrograde periods
Retrograde in 2042
74 days 20.2% of the year
Signs
Aquarius, Taurus, Libra, Capricorn last loop retreats 16.26°
Mercury’s path through 2042, day by day
Apparent position of Mercury against the zodiac, Jan 1, 2042 – Jan 20, 2043
RetrogradeShadowR — stations retrograde · D — stations direct
Mercury starts 2042 at 29°55′ Capricorn and ends it at 15°42′ Capricorn — 345.8° of net progress: 389.8° forward, 44.1° given back. Its four loops retrace 16.05°, 8.97°, 14.51° and 16.26° (21, 24, 22 and 20 days). Fastest day: Jul 10, 2.17° forward; fastest backward: Jan 19, 1.3°. Counting the shadows, 185 days of 2042 sit inside a retrograde window.
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Exact times
Mercury retrograde 2042: exact times in your city
Mercury turns retrograde at 2:48 AM UTC on January 10, 2042 at 6°12′ Aquarius — 11:48 PM on January 9 in Santiago, 9:48 PM on January 9 in New York, 2:48 AM in London and 11:48 AM 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.
21 days · retreats 16.05°
January 10 → January 30, 2042 in Aquarius
Stations retrograde
Jan 10, 2042, 2:48 AM UTC at
6°12′ Aquarius
Stations direct
Jan 30, 2042, 3:32 PM UTC at
20°09′ Capricorn
Shadow opens
Dec 24, 2041, 7:14 PM UTC
(16 days before)
Shadow closes
Feb 19, 2042, 3:06 PM UTC
(20 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The January loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 16.05° between 20°09′ Capricorn and 6°12′ Aquarius three times: forward in the pre-shadow (16 days), back while retrograde (21 days), forward again in the post-shadow (20 days).
Mercury retrograde in Aquarius
In Aquarius the retrograde falls on technology, groups and future plans. Software glitches, group chats full of misunderstandings and stalled community projects are typical. It suits updating systems, reconnecting with old friends and rethinking long-range ideas.
…and back into 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 in Capricorn season and ends in
Aquarius season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Mars
in Leo —
Jan 10 to Jan 30, 2042 (21 days of overlap)
Uranus
in Leo —
Jan 10 to Jan 30, 2042 (21 days of overlap)
Neptune
in Taurus —
Jan 10 to Jan 15, 2042 (5 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
May 5, 2042, 5:13 AM UTC at
29°45′ Taurus
Stations direct
May 29, 2042, 1:31 AM UTC at
20°46′ Taurus
Shadow opens
Apr 21, 2042, 3:31 AM UTC
(14 days before)
Shadow closes
Jun 13, 2042, 10:30 PM UTC
(16 days after)
Full window including shadows54 days
The May loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 8.97° between 20°46′ Taurus and 29°45′ Taurus three times: forward in the pre-shadow (14 days), back while retrograde (24 days), forward again in the post-shadow (16 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.
It begins in Taurus season and ends in
Gemini season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Jupiter
in Sagittarius —
May 5 to May 29, 2042 (24 days of overlap)
Saturn
in Scorpio —
May 5 to May 29, 2042 (24 days of overlap)
Stations retrograde
Sep 5, 2042, 11:21 AM UTC at
4°33′ Libra
Stations direct
Sep 27, 2042, 10:18 PM UTC at
20°02′ Virgo
Shadow opens
Aug 16, 2042, 6:55 AM UTC
(20 days before)
Shadow closes
Oct 12, 2042, 2:19 PM UTC
(15 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The September loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 14.51° between 20°02′ Virgo and 4°33′ Libra three times: forward in the pre-shadow (20 days), back while retrograde (22 days), forward again in the post-shadow (15 days).
Mercury retrograde in Libra
In Libra the retrograde centers on relationships, agreements and contracts. Negotiations stall or reopen, misunderstandings arise in partnerships, and people from the past reappear. It favors renegotiating terms and clarifying what was assumed rather than signing new deals.
…and back into 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 Virgo season and ends in
Libra season.
Also retrograde at the same time
Neptune
in Taurus —
Sep 5 to Sep 27, 2042 (22 days of overlap)
Pluto
in Aquarius —
Sep 5 to Sep 27, 2042 (22 days of overlap)
20 days · retreats 16.26°
· crosses the year boundary
December 25, 2042 → January 14, 2043 in Capricorn
Stations retrograde
Dec 25, 2042, 12:44 AM UTC at
20°16′ Capricorn
Stations direct
Jan 14, 2043, 1:50 AM UTC at
4°00′ Capricorn
Shadow opens
Dec 7, 2042, 9:12 PM UTC
(17 days before)
Shadow closes
Feb 2, 2043, 2:13 PM UTC
(20 days after)
Full window including shadows57 days
The December loop up close, shadow to shadow
Mercury crosses the 16.26° between 4°00′ Capricorn and 20°16′ Capricorn three times: forward in the pre-shadow (17 days), back while retrograde (20 days), forward again in the post-shadow (20 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
Uranus
in Leo —
Dec 25 to Jan 14, 2043 (20 days of overlap)
Neptune
in Taurus —
Dec 25 to Jan 14, 2043 (20 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 2042
Mercury through the zodiac in 2042
Every sign Mercury occupies during 2042, 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 2042 Dates: Jan 10, May 5, Sep 5, Dec 25.” Accessed October 30, 2026. https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/2042/
For Wikipedia{{cite web |title=Mercury Retrograde 2042 Dates: Jan 10, May 5, Sep 5, Dec 25 |url=https://astrohot.com/retrograde/mercury/2042/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-30}}
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