Mercury retrograde 2026
Three or four times a year Mercury appears to move backward against the stars for about three weeks. It does not, of course - it is an effect of the two orbits - but the frog has noticed that the effect on kitchens is real enough. Messages go astray, contracts grow footnotes, the thing you were sure you sent is still in drafts.
Dates in 2026
- February 26 - March 21 in Pisces
- June 30 - July 24 in Cancer
- October 24 - November 13 in Scorpio
What to do
Reread before sending. Back up what matters. Reconnect with people from before - this is what the period is good at. Buy nothing with a screen if you can wait.
What to leave alone
Sign what you have not read twice. Start the new system on the first day. Take a tone of voice personally.
The shadow
The weeks before and after, when Mercury crosses the same degrees, carry some of the same weather. The frog calls it the shadow and does not lose sleep over it.