What exactly is Mercury in retrograde?

By Camalot Todd

Sunday, April 16, 2017 | 2 a.m.

A dreaded guest in our lives, Mercury in retrograde is the favorite astrological scapegoat for anything that goes wrong. But what is it, really? Why does it have such a bad rep? And what can you actually blame on another planet’s behavior?

What is it?

Mercury is in “retrograde” when the planet appears to be traveling backward in space when seen in the sky from Earth. However, this is an optical illusion due to the two planets’ relative position to each other in space. If you look at the sky during this period, Mercury appears to be retracing its steps because of a change in the planet’s orbital speed in comparison to Earth’s.

So, Mercury in retrograde is just an expression, not a technical condition.

1. Most of the time, Mercury appears to be moving “forward” in the same direction across the sky.

2. Earth and Mercury orbit the sun in the same direction.

3. Because Mercury’s orbit around the sun is so much smaller than Earth’s, we occasionally “pass” it.

4. This causes Mercury to appear to move backward from its normal path in the sky when viewed over the course of several nights.

Do any other planets do this retrograde thing?

All objects in our solar system experience the retrograde phenom. Mars, for instance, can be seen appearing to move backward once every two years. Because it’s just the appearance of such movement, scientists call it “apparent retrograde motion.” It’s all about the vantage point on Earth.

-ology vs. -onomy

Astrology is rooted in a geocentric, or Earth-centered, approach to studying the galaxy. That contrasts with astronomy, which follows the Copernican model, or sun-centered approach. The latter is rooted in science, and the former is rooted in mythology.

Mercury: A man with a message

The word Mercury finds its origin in the Latin word “merx,” or “mercator,” meaning merchant. It’s also the name ancient Romans gave the Greek god Hermes, who governed travel and communication (and sometimes meddled in them). Mercury is the god of travelers, literature, poetry, merchants and thieves. He’s clever, but he can also be a trickster and is prone to misbehavior.

When does it happen?

Mercury goes retrograde three to four times a year. This year, it will happen four times, according to Matt Hennager of Las Vegas-based Matthew’s Astrology. The first took place Jan. 1 -9. The next three times are April 9-May 3 (so yeah, that's now), Aug. 12-Sept. 5 and Dec. 2-22.

What does it affect, astrologically?

As one of the cosmic forces in astrology — the study of movements and relative positions of celestial bodies and theories about related influences on human life — Mercury connects to your general intellectual orientation and the expression of thoughts, as well as

the nature of actions.

When Mercury is in retrograde, it negatively affects the areas of life that the planet is said to govern. Anything related to communication and travel requires extra attention, including the use of phones and computers, and the efficacy of the mail and any form of transportation.

“When Mercury goes retrograde, the energy of the planet is weakened,” Hennager said. “Its influence depends on which of the 12 zodiac signs the planet is in when it goes retrograde.”

What you should do when Mercury is in retrograde

• Research and plan before a purchase or signing a contract

• Reorganize and edit big projects

• Complete projects already started and tie up any loose ends, pay debts and fulfill any promises

What you should avoid doing when Mercury is in retrograde

• Making agreements

• Signing contacts

• Making large purchases that require careful planning and attention to detail

Mercury and you

In addition to the planet’s position, its effect on you also depends on your birth chart, or where the stars were exactly when you were born. So, while you and your friend may both be Leos, how Mercury in retrograde affects you can differ depending on where you were born, what day and what time.