Mercury retrograde 2028 and relationships
In 2028, Mercury retrogrades 3 times. Dates, signs, shadow periods and what tradition reads for relationships.
Dates
24 January – 14 February 2028
The retrograde starts on 24 January 2028 at 19° Aquarius and ends on 14 February 2028 at 3° Aquarius.
Together with the shadow period: 8 January – 5 March 2028.
21 May – 14 June 2028
The retrograde starts on 21 May 2028 at 16° Gemini and ends on 14 June 2028 at 7° Gemini.
Together with the shadow period: 6 May – 29 June 2028.
19 September – 11 October 2028
The retrograde starts on 19 September 2028 at 18° Libra and ends on 11 October 2028 at 3° Libra.
Together with the shadow period: 30 August – 26 October 2028.
What is it?
A Mercury retrograde is the period when Mercury appears to move backwards as seen from Earth. It happens three, sometimes four, times a year and lasts about three weeks. Tradition links Mercury with conversation, messages and plans, and reads the retrograde as a time when these are reviewed.
For couples
- After an important conversation, write each other a short note on what you understood.
- For a holiday, a move or wedding plans, check dates, times and addresses twice.
- If an old topic comes back up, treat it as an unfinished conversation rather than a fight.
Frequently asked questions
Can you marry or get engaged during a Mercury retrograde?
Tradition reads this period as “check twice” for signing and contracts; there is no prohibition. If your date falls in a retrograde, making your plans clear is enough.
Do exes come back during a Mercury retrograde?
Tradition reads the retrograde as a time when past topics are reopened; this is not a prophecy. If someone really reaches out, you, not the sky, decide what to do.
What is a shadow period?
The weeks before a retrograde, when Mercury passes through degrees it will later move back over, and the weeks after it, when it passes the same degrees again. Tradition reads the shadow as a gentle extension of the retrograde.
Does it touch your chart?
See in the Relationship sky calendar whether these events touch your or your partner’s Sun, Moon, Venus or Mars; if you like, add them to your calendar.
Open the Relationship sky calendarDates are in UTC; they may shift by a day depending on your time zone. Calculation: Astronomy Engine. Astrology is a language of interpretation, not a scientific prediction.