Both stations in Aquarius
Mercury retrograde
January 2028.
Mercury stations retrograde at 19°42′ Aquarius on January 24, 2028 at 11:02 UTC and stations direct at 3°59′ Aquarius on February 14, 2028 at 12:38 UTC. Pre-shadow begins January 8, 2028 at 19:23 UTC, the cazimi is February 2, 2028 at 08:47 UTC, at 13°01′ Aquarius, and post-shadow ends March 5, 2028 at 16:43 UTC.
Dates below are UTC, to the minute.
Station dates
The five moments of the January 2028 Mercury cycle. Both stations are in Aquarius. The retrograde lasts 21 days.
| Phase | UTC | Your time | Degree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-shadow starts | Jan 8, 2028 · 19:23 | UTC only | — |
| Station retrograde | Jan 24, 2028 · 11:02 | UTC only | 19°42′ Aquarius |
| Cazimi (Mercury–Sun) | Feb 2, 2028 · 08:47 | UTC only | 13°01′ Aquarius |
| Station direct | Feb 14, 2028 · 12:38 | UTC only | 3°59′ Aquarius |
| Post-shadow ends | Mar 5, 2028 · 16:43 | 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 05:46 to 11:49 UTC on February 2, 2028. How these are timed.
Signs and degrees
Mercury retraces 15°43′ of the zodiac: it stations retrograde at 19°42′ Aquarius and backs up to 3°59′ Aquarius before it stations direct. The whole loop stays in Aquarius. Mercury first reaches 3°59′ Aquarius on January 8, 2028, 16 days before the station, and clears 19°42′ Aquarius again on March 5, 2028, 20 days after it turns direct: 57 days on these degrees in all. The cazimi falls on day 10 of 21, at 13°01′ Aquarius.
The last Mercury retrograde station in Aquarius before this one was January 14, 2022 at 11:41 UTC, at 10°20′ Aquarius. The next one is January 7, 2029 at 07:57 UTC, at 3°38′ Aquarius. Since 1900, the closest earlier station to 19°42′ Aquarius came 79 years before, on January 24, 1949 at 20:17 UTC, at 20°13′ Aquarius, 0°31′ away.
What to do in each phase
| Phase | Dates | Traditional focus |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-shadow | Jan 8, 2028 – Jan 24, 2028 | Finish launches, back up devices, confirm travel and contract details. |
| Retrograde | Jan 24, 2028 – Feb 14, 2028 | Review, revise, reconnect. Read the fine print before you sign. |
| Cazimi | Feb 2, 2028 · 08:47 | A short, clear window inside the retrograde: set one fresh intention. |
| Post-shadow | Feb 14, 2028 – Mar 5, 2028 | Relaunch what was paused and send the revised version. |
Compared with the previous cycle
| October 2027 | This cycle | |
|---|---|---|
| Station retrograde | Oct 7, 2027 · 4°56′ Scorpio | Jan 24, 2028 · 19°42′ Aquarius |
| Station direct | Oct 28, 2027 · 19°19′ Libra | Feb 14, 2028 · 3°59′ Aquarius |
| Signs | Scorpio → Libra | Aquarius |
| Length | 21 days | 21 days |
| Retrograde arc | 15°37′ | 15°43′ |
Mercury moves direct for 88 days between the two retrogrades. This one lasts 21 days, the same as the October 2027 cycle, and its retrograde station sits 104°46′ further along the zodiac than the previous one.
Other planets retrograde at the same time
Between January 24, 2028 at 11:02 UTC and February 14, 2028 at 12:38 UTC, 2 other planets are retrograde for at least part of the time:
Moon during this cycle
Principal moon phases between pre-shadow on January 8, 2028 and the end of post-shadow on March 5, 2028. The third column follows your clock.
| Phase | UTC | Your time |
|---|---|---|
 Full moon | Jan 12 · 04:02 | UTC only |
 Last quarter | Jan 18 · 19:25 | UTC only |
 New moon | Jan 26 · 15:13 | UTC only |
 First quarter | Feb 3 · 19:10 | UTC only |
| Full moon | Feb 10 · 15:03 | UTC only |
| Last quarter | Feb 17 · 08:07 | UTC only |
| New moon | Feb 25 · 10:37 | UTC only |
| First quarter | Mar 4 · 09:02 | 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 January 2028?
Mercury stations retrograde at 19°42′ Aquarius on January 24, 2028 at 11:02 UTC and stations direct at 3°59′ Aquarius on February 14, 2028 at 12:38 UTC. Pre-shadow begins January 8, 2028 at 19:23 UTC, the cazimi is February 2, 2028 at 08:47 UTC, at 13°01′ Aquarius, and post-shadow ends March 5, 2028 at 16:43 UTC.
When does the January 2028 Mercury retrograde end?
Mercury stations direct on February 14, 2028 at 12:38 UTC, at 3°59′ Aquarius, and post-shadow ends March 5, 2028 at 16:43 UTC.
When is the Mercury cazimi in this retrograde?
The cazimi is February 2, 2028 at 08:47 UTC, at 13°01′ Aquarius. Mercury is within 17′ of the Sun from 05:46 to 11:49 UTC on February 2, 2028.
How long is this Mercury retrograde?
21 days from station to station in UTC calendar days, from January 24, 2028 at 11:02 UTC to February 14, 2028 at 12:38 UTC.
What sign is Mercury retrograde in, January 2028?
In Aquarius: both stations fall in the same sign, at 19°42′ Aquarius on January 24, 2028 at 11:02 UTC and at 3°59′ Aquarius on February 14, 2028 at 12:38 UTC.
When is the shadow of the January 2028 Mercury retrograde?
Pre-shadow runs 16 days, from January 8, 2028 at 19:23 UTC to the retrograde station; post-shadow runs 20 days, from the direct station to March 5, 2028 at 16:43 UTC. With the shadow, the cycle spans 57 days.
How does this Mercury retrograde compare with the previous one?
The previous one, October 2027, ran from October 7, 2027 at 14:37 UTC to October 28, 2027 at 14:11 UTC and lasted 21 days; this one lasts 21 days. Mercury moves direct for 88 days in between.
When was Mercury last retrograde in Aquarius?
The last Mercury retrograde station in Aquarius before this one was January 14, 2022 at 11:41 UTC, at 10°20′ Aquarius. The next one is January 7, 2029 at 07:57 UTC, at 3°38′ Aquarius.
Which other planets are retrograde during the January 2028 Mercury retrograde?
Between January 24, 2028 at 11:02 UTC and February 14, 2028 at 12:38 UTC: Jupiter in Virgo, Jan 12, 2028 to May 13, 2028 and Uranus in Gemini, Sep 15, 2027 to Feb 12, 2028.
What should I do during this Mercury retrograde?
From January 24, 2028 at 11:02 UTC to February 14, 2028 at 12:38 UTC: Review, revise, reconnect. Read the fine print before you sign.
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