Both stations in Virgo
Mercury retrograde
August 2030.
Mercury stations retrograde at 14°30′ Virgo on August 16, 2030 at 01:20 UTC and stations direct at 1°06′ Virgo on September 8, 2030 at 09:28 UTC. Pre-shadow begins July 27, 2030 at 12:48 UTC, the cazimi is August 29, 2030 at 20:11 UTC, at 6°32′ Virgo, and post-shadow ends September 22, 2030 at 14:58 UTC.
Dates below are UTC, to the minute.
Station dates
The five moments of the August 2030 Mercury cycle. Both stations are in Virgo. The retrograde lasts 23 days.
| Phase | UTC | Your time | Degree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-shadow starts | Jul 27, 2030 · 12:48 | UTC only | — |
| Station retrograde | Aug 16, 2030 · 01:20 | UTC only | 14°30′ Virgo |
| Cazimi (Mercury–Sun) | Aug 29, 2030 · 20:11 | UTC only | 6°32′ Virgo |
| Station direct | Sep 8, 2030 · 09:28 | UTC only | 1°06′ Virgo |
| Post-shadow ends | Sep 22, 2030 · 14:58 | UTC only | — |
The cazimi is the inferior conjunction: Mercury passes between Earth and the Sun, in the middle of the retrograde. Mercury is within 17′ of the Sun from 16:34 to 23:47 UTC on August 29, 2030. How these are timed.
Signs and degrees
Mercury retraces 13°24′ of the zodiac: it stations retrograde at 14°30′ Virgo and backs up to 1°06′ Virgo before it stations direct. The whole loop stays in Virgo. Mercury first reaches 1°06′ Virgo on July 27, 2030, 20 days before the station, and clears 14°30′ Virgo again on September 22, 2030, 14 days after it turns direct: 57 days on these degrees in all. The cazimi falls on day 14 of 23, at 6°32′ Virgo.
The last Mercury retrograde station in Virgo before this one was August 5, 2024 at 04:56 UTC, at 4°06′ Virgo. The next one is August 25, 2036 at 19:48 UTC, at 24°38′ Virgo. Since 1900, the closest earlier station to 14°30′ Virgo came 125 years before, on August 16, 1905 at 08:21 UTC, at 14°04′ Virgo, 0°26′ away.
What to do in each phase
| Phase | Dates | Traditional focus |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-shadow | Jul 27, 2030 – Aug 16, 2030 | Finish launches, back up devices, confirm travel and contract details. |
| Retrograde | Aug 16, 2030 – Sep 8, 2030 | Review, revise, reconnect. Read the fine print before you sign. |
| Cazimi | Aug 29, 2030 · 20:11 | A short, clear window inside the retrograde: set one fresh intention. |
| Post-shadow | Sep 8, 2030 – Sep 22, 2030 | Relaunch what was paused and send the revised version. |
Compared with the previous cycle
| April 2030 | This cycle | |
|---|---|---|
| Station retrograde | Apr 13, 2030 · 7°48′ Taurus | Aug 16, 2030 · 14°30′ Virgo |
| Station direct | May 6, 2030 · 27°26′ Aries | Sep 8, 2030 · 1°06′ Virgo |
| Signs | Taurus → Aries | Virgo |
| Length | 23 days | 23 days |
| Retrograde arc | 10°22′ | 13°24′ |
Mercury moves direct for 102 days between the two retrogrades. This one lasts 23 days, the same as the April 2030 cycle, and its retrograde station sits 126°42′ further along the zodiac than the previous one.
Other planets retrograde at the same time
Between August 16, 2030 at 01:20 UTC and September 8, 2030 at 09:28 UTC, 2 other planets are retrograde for at least part of the time:
Moon during this cycle
Principal moon phases between pre-shadow on July 27, 2030 and the end of post-shadow on September 22, 2030. The third column follows your clock.
| Phase | UTC | Your time |
|---|---|---|
 New moon | Jul 30 · 11:09 | UTC only |
 First quarter | Aug 6 · 16:42 | UTC only |
 Full moon | Aug 13 · 10:44 | UTC only |
 Last quarter | Aug 21 · 01:15 | UTC only |
| New moon | Aug 28 · 23:05 | UTC only |
| First quarter | Sep 4 · 21:55 | UTC only |
| Full moon | Sep 11 · 21:17 | UTC only |
| Last quarter | Sep 19 · 19:56 | UTC only |
Moon photographs: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio. All moon phases, 2025–2030.
In the app
Cazimi uses these timestamps for status, the Phase Planner, notifications, and widgets. Cycle status, the daily action, planner, journal history, orbit, cazimi window, and the calendar through 2026 are free. The full Mercury Signal, cycle recap, widgets, playbook, and calendar through 2030 are Premium; the app shows current options and prices before purchase.
Questions
When is Mercury retrograde in August 2030?
Mercury stations retrograde at 14°30′ Virgo on August 16, 2030 at 01:20 UTC and stations direct at 1°06′ Virgo on September 8, 2030 at 09:28 UTC. Pre-shadow begins July 27, 2030 at 12:48 UTC, the cazimi is August 29, 2030 at 20:11 UTC, at 6°32′ Virgo, and post-shadow ends September 22, 2030 at 14:58 UTC.
When does the August 2030 Mercury retrograde end?
Mercury stations direct on September 8, 2030 at 09:28 UTC, at 1°06′ Virgo, and post-shadow ends September 22, 2030 at 14:58 UTC.
When is the Mercury cazimi in this retrograde?
The cazimi is August 29, 2030 at 20:11 UTC, at 6°32′ Virgo. Mercury is within 17′ of the Sun from 16:34 to 23:47 UTC on August 29, 2030.
How long is this Mercury retrograde?
23 days from station to station in UTC calendar days, from August 16, 2030 at 01:20 UTC to September 8, 2030 at 09:28 UTC.
What sign is Mercury retrograde in, August 2030?
In Virgo: both stations fall in the same sign, at 14°30′ Virgo on August 16, 2030 at 01:20 UTC and at 1°06′ Virgo on September 8, 2030 at 09:28 UTC.
When is the shadow of the August 2030 Mercury retrograde?
Pre-shadow runs 20 days, from July 27, 2030 at 12:48 UTC to the retrograde station; post-shadow runs 14 days, from the direct station to September 22, 2030 at 14:58 UTC. With the shadow, the cycle spans 57 days.
How does this Mercury retrograde compare with the previous one?
The previous one, April 2030, ran from April 13, 2030 at 02:33 UTC to May 6, 2030 at 20:15 UTC and lasted 23 days; this one lasts 23 days. Mercury moves direct for 102 days in between.
When was Mercury last retrograde in Virgo?
The last Mercury retrograde station in Virgo before this one was August 5, 2024 at 04:56 UTC, at 4°06′ Virgo. The next one is August 25, 2036 at 19:48 UTC, at 24°38′ Virgo.
Which other planets are retrograde during the August 2030 Mercury retrograde?
Between August 16, 2030 at 01:20 UTC and September 8, 2030 at 09:28 UTC: Neptune in Aries, Jul 16, 2030 to Dec 21, 2030 and Pluto in Aquarius, May 12, 2030 to Oct 23, 2030.
What should I do during this Mercury retrograde?
From August 16, 2030 at 01:20 UTC to September 8, 2030 at 09:28 UTC: Review, revise, reconnect. Read the fine print before you sign.
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