Scroll through social media during any Mercury retrograde period and you will see people blaming the planet for everything from dropped calls to broken relationships. The truth is more nuanced than either the believers or the skeptics suggest.
What is Retrograde Motion?
Retrograde motion is an optical illusion caused by the relative speeds of planets orbiting the Sun. Because Mercury orbit is shorter than Earth, it periodically laps us. As it does, viewed from Earth, it appears to slow down, stop, and move backward across the sky before resuming forward motion.
What Mercury Rules
In traditional astrology, Mercury is the planet of communication, technology, transportation, contracts, and the rational mind. Given this rulership, when Mercury appears to move backward, its domains might become confused or revisited.
Practical Advice
- Back up your digital files and devices
- Double-check travel plans and meeting times
- Avoid signing major contracts if possible
- Expect old contacts to resurface
- Practice extra patience
Check current Mercury status with our Mercury Retrograde Calculator.