Astrology · Retrograde

Mercury retrograde in Scorpio: how to handle it until November 13

Illustration of Mercury with a looping retrograde path over the Scorpius constellation — Illustration drawn by Horoscopes Today from the computed positions of the sky. Not a photograph.

Mercury turned retrograde in Scorpio on October 24 and stays that way until it stations direct on November 13. Here is what the retrograde means in astrology, plus a few everyday habits that keep the weeks calm.

By Susan Nicols, Editor · How we write

Published October 27, 2026, 7:00 a.m. ET · 5 min read

Mercury has been retrograde in Scorpio since October 24

Mercury turned retrograde in Scorpio on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 3:14 a.m. ET (12:14 a.m. PT). It stays retrograde until it stations direct on Friday, November 13, 2026, still in Scorpio. The whole retrograde therefore unfolds inside a single sign, which gives the weeks one steady tone. Scorpio season began a day earlier, when the Sun entered Scorpio on Friday, October 23, and it lasts until the Sun enters Sagittarius on Sunday, November 22.

Two other planets are moving backward right now. Venus has been retrograde since Saturday, October 3, and stays that way until Friday, November 13, when it will be in Libra. Saturn has been retrograde in Aries since Sunday, July 26, and remains so until Thursday, December 10. On Halloween, Saturday, October 31, Mercury, Venus and Saturn are all still retrograde, with the Moon in Cancer at noon ET.

Today, Tuesday, October 27, the Sun is in Scorpio and the Moon is in Taurus at noon ET. The full Moon in Taurus, known as the Hunter’s Moon in Old Farmer’s Almanac usage, was exact on Monday, October 26, at 12:12 a.m. ET. Our earlier article on the full Moon in Taurus covers that lunation sign by sign.

A retrograde is an apparent backward motion that astrology reads as a pause for review

From Earth, a planet sometimes seems to slow down, stop and drift backward against the background of the sky. Astronomers explain this as a matter of perspective. Earth and the other planet travel at different speeds along their orbits, much like a car that appears to slide backward when you pass it on a highway. The planet itself never reverses.

In astrology, Mercury stands for thinking, speaking, writing, errands and short trips, so a Mercury retrograde is traditionally read as a time for review rather than for launches. Many people treat it as an invitation to double-check details, finish what is half done and revisit old conversations. The idea is symbolic: it offers a useful frame for slowing down, not a rule about what will go wrong.

Scorpio gives this retrograde a private, probing tone

Scorpio, the natural eighth house, is the sign of depth, privacy, trust and the things people prefer not to say aloud. With Mercury retrograde there, astrology points to conversations that circle back to unfinished emotional business, and to a stronger wish to understand motives before reacting. Messages may feel loaded, so it helps to read them twice.

Venus retrograde adds a similar note about relationships and values, while Saturn retrograde in Aries asks for patience with long-term plans. Together they favor revision over speed. You can find your own sign’s daily reading on the horoscopes page, or start with the Scorpio horoscope for the sign in the spotlight.

Practical ways to work with the retrograde until November 13

Nothing about a retrograde requires you to stop your life. A few small habits are enough to keep the weeks smooth, and most of them are good practice in any season. Pick the ones that fit your schedule, and read the notes below for how Scorpio lands in each of the 12 zodiac signs.

Reread important emails and texts before you send them, especially anything emotional.
Confirm plans, times and addresses in writing, and leave a little extra room for travel.
Back up your files and tidy your inbox while things are quiet.
Return to a project you set aside rather than starting something brand new.
Reach out to someone you lost touch with, and listen more than you speak.

What it means for your sign

Aries March 21 – April 19

Scorpio is your solar eighth house of shared money, debts, intimacy and deep change, and Mercury forms an awkward quincunx to your sign. Expect to adjust more than usual. Use the pause to talk through shared plans and boundaries with someone close, slowly and in plain words.

Taurus April 20 – May 20

Mercury sits in your opposite sign, in your solar seventh house of partnerships, marriage and close one-on-one ties. Partners and friends may bring up old topics. Listen first, restate what you heard, and keep an easy pace; your natural steadiness is an asset here.

Gemini May 21 – June 20

A quincunx can feel like a poor fit, and the solar sixth house covers daily routines, work tasks and health habits. Streamline one routine rather than rebuilding them all. A short checklist for the week’s tasks keeps loose ends from piling up.

Cancer June 21 – July 22

Your fifth house of romance, fun and creativity gets the attention, and the trine makes the flow easy. Return to a creative project you set aside, or revisit a favorite pastime. Light, playful time with people you love suits the review mood.

Leo July 23 – August 22

Home, family and roots are in focus through the solar fourth house, and the square can feel tense. Talk over household plans before you settle them, and sort one drawer or one shelf. Small order at home can calm the whole week.

Virgo August 23 – September 22

With a friendly sextile from Scorpio, Mercury works well with you, and the solar third house covers conversations, siblings, neighbors and short trips. Call a relative, reread messages before replying, and allow extra minutes for short errands.

Libra September 23 – October 22

Next door to your sign, Scorpio fills the solar second house of money, possessions and self-worth, a semi-sextile that asks for small adjustments. Take stock of what you own and value, and think about what you want to keep close.

Scorpio October 23 – November 21

Mercury is retrograde in your own sign, the solar first house of self, body and first impressions, so the review starts with you. Notice how you come across when you are in a hurry, and say what you mean in fewer words. Time alone to think helps.

Sagittarius November 22 – December 21

The sign just before yours holds Mercury, in your solar twelfth house of rest, solitude, endings and what happens behind the scenes. Quiet evenings suit this stretch. Finish something unseen, such as notes or a private plan, and let it rest.

Capricorn December 22 – January 19

A friendly sextile links you to Mercury in the solar eleventh house of friends, groups, networks and hopes. Check in with a group chat or a team you have neglected, and reread what you once wrote down as goals. Clear, kind messages go far.

Aquarius January 20 – February 18

Career, public role and reputation fall under the solar tenth house, and the square makes the pressure feel sharper. Double-check details in work emails and presentations before sharing them. Let others see the careful version of your ideas.

Pisces February 19 – March 20

Travel, study, beliefs and the bigger picture belong to your solar ninth house, and the trine keeps things flowing. A course, a book or a trip plan can move forward gently. Confirm bookings in writing, and reflect on what you believe.