The most comprehensive and fascinating article will help you understand what Mercury in retrograde is and why everyone can’t stop talking about it. Find an explanatory video inside, too!


“Mercury retrograde is to blame for everything!” That's probably what someone from your circle said at least once when something terrible and out of the ordinary was happening. For instance, the team didn’t get the annual bonus, the boss told everyone an unfunny anecdotal story and laughed at it all day. Or everyone quarreled over the proportions in the kebab marinade at lunch. And you always nod approvingly in response, activating all your acting skills, as if you knew what Mercury retrograde was.

Let's put an end to your shame once and for all and figure out what Mercury retrograde actually is!

Suppose you didn't skip astronomy lessons at school. In that case, you must have heard that the planets of the solar system, including our Earth, revolve around the Sun? Maybe you even had a chance to hear that the planets are at different distances from our main star: some are closer, others are farther. And perhaps you also know that their orbital lengths are different, and the speeds of movement along the orbits are also not the same?

And so, the planets can also perform two types of motion: straight ahead and backward. The hero of this article, Mercury, runs through its short orbit much faster than the Earth – in 88 days compared to our 365. One strange thing happens to the planet along the way, and it repeats itself several times a year.

If you look at Mercury from the Earth, at some point, it will seem that Mercury stops going forward and suddenly starts to move back in the opposite direction, that is, in the direction opposite to the movement of the Sun. In fact, this is an optical illusion, and the planet continues to move in the same direction. Everything is clearly shown in the video, which we carefully added to accompany this text.

Why, then, all the troubles among earthlings are usually associated with Mercury retrograde? Let's say thanks to astrologers! They are firmly convinced that if the planet went backwards, everything will not go as planned in the areas for which it is responsible. The ancient Romans believed that the area of responsibility of the god Mercury was trade and enrichment.

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In those days when Mercury moves backwards, astrologers advise against starting new businesses, changing jobs, and taking on what Mercury is responsible for. Mercury will be in retrograde three times in 2020. You have already somehow experienced the first two times from February 7 to March 10, and from June 18 to July 12. Be strong, especially from October 14 to November 3! Needless to say, Mercury in retrograde is a brilliant invention! You can't endlessly blame all the failed interviews and quarrels with the whole world on haters, the evil eye, or your cat, right?

An astronomical explanation for Mercury's apparent retrograde motion in our skies: the inner planet appears to retrace its steps a few times per year. Every planet does this, every year. In fact, there is a planet in retrograde for 75% of 2020 (not unusual) [OC] from r/dataisbeautiful