Both stations in Leo
Mercury retrograde
July 2025.
Mercury stations retrograde at 15°35′ Leo on July 18, 2025 at 04:45 UTC and stations direct at 4°15′ Leo on August 11, 2025 at 07:30 UTC. Pre-shadow begins June 30, 2025 at 05:54 UTC, the cazimi is July 31, 2025 at 23:41 UTC, at 9°01′ Leo, and post-shadow ends August 25, 2025 at 08:36 UTC.
Dates below are UTC, to the minute.
Station dates
The five moments of the July 2025 Mercury cycle. Both stations are in Leo. The retrograde lasts 24 days.
| Phase | UTC | Your time | Degree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-shadow starts | Jun 30, 2025 · 05:54 | UTC only | — |
| Station retrograde | Jul 18, 2025 · 04:45 | UTC only | 15°35′ Leo |
| Cazimi (Mercury–Sun) | Jul 31, 2025 · 23:41 | UTC only | 9°01′ Leo |
| Station direct | Aug 11, 2025 · 07:30 | UTC only | 4°15′ Leo |
| Post-shadow ends | Aug 25, 2025 · 08:36 | 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 July 31, 2025 at 19:41 UTC to August 1, 2025 at 03:42 UTC. How these are timed.
Signs and degrees
Mercury retraces 11°20′ of the zodiac: it stations retrograde at 15°35′ Leo and backs up to 4°15′ Leo before it stations direct. The whole loop stays in Leo. Mercury first reaches 4°15′ Leo on June 30, 2025, 18 days before the station, and clears 15°35′ Leo again on August 25, 2025, 14 days after it turns direct: 56 days on these degrees in all. The cazimi falls on day 14 of 24, at 9°01′ Leo.
The last Mercury retrograde station in Leo before this one was July 7, 2019 at 23:14 UTC, at 4°28′ Leo. The next one is July 29, 2031 at 06:48 UTC, at 26°26′ Leo. Since 1900, the closest earlier station to 15°35′ Leo came 125 years before, on July 18, 1900 at 12:53 UTC, at 15°15′ Leo, 0°20′ away.
What to do in each phase
| Phase | Dates | Traditional focus |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-shadow | Jun 30, 2025 – Jul 18, 2025 | Finish launches, back up devices, confirm travel and contract details. |
| Retrograde | Jul 18, 2025 – Aug 11, 2025 | Review, revise, reconnect. Read the fine print before you sign. |
| Cazimi | Jul 31, 2025 · 23:41 | A short, clear window inside the retrograde: set one fresh intention. |
| Post-shadow | Aug 11, 2025 – Aug 25, 2025 | Relaunch what was paused and send the revised version. |
Compared with the previous cycle
| March 2025 | This cycle | |
|---|---|---|
| Station retrograde | Mar 15, 2025 · 9°35′ Aries | Jul 18, 2025 · 15°35′ Leo |
| Station direct | Apr 7, 2025 · 26°50′ Pisces | Aug 11, 2025 · 4°15′ Leo |
| Signs | Aries → Pisces | Leo |
| Length | 23 days | 24 days |
| Retrograde arc | 12°45′ | 11°20′ |
Mercury moves direct for 102 days between the two retrogrades. This one lasts 24 days, 1 day longer than the March 2025 cycle, and its retrograde station sits 126°00′ further along the zodiac than the previous one.
Other planets retrograde at the same time
Between July 18, 2025 at 04:45 UTC and August 11, 2025 at 07:30 UTC, 3 other planets are retrograde for at least part of the time:
- Saturn in Aries and Pisces, Jul 13, 2025 to Nov 28, 2025
- Neptune in Aries and Pisces, Jul 4, 2025 to Dec 10, 2025
- Pluto in Aquarius, May 4, 2025 to Oct 14, 2025
Moon during this cycle
Principal moon phases between pre-shadow on June 30, 2025 and the end of post-shadow on August 25, 2025. The third column follows your clock.
| Phase | UTC | Your time |
|---|---|---|
 First quarter | Jul 2 · 19:30 | UTC only |
 Full moon | Jul 10 · 20:36 | UTC only |
 Last quarter | Jul 18 · 00:37 | UTC only |
 New moon | Jul 24 · 19:12 | UTC only |
| First quarter | Aug 1 · 12:41 | UTC only |
| Full moon | Aug 9 · 07:54 | UTC only |
| Last quarter | Aug 16 · 05:12 | UTC only |
| New moon | Aug 23 · 06:07 | 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 July 2025?
Mercury stations retrograde at 15°35′ Leo on July 18, 2025 at 04:45 UTC and stations direct at 4°15′ Leo on August 11, 2025 at 07:30 UTC. Pre-shadow begins June 30, 2025 at 05:54 UTC, the cazimi is July 31, 2025 at 23:41 UTC, at 9°01′ Leo, and post-shadow ends August 25, 2025 at 08:36 UTC.
When does the July 2025 Mercury retrograde end?
Mercury stations direct on August 11, 2025 at 07:30 UTC, at 4°15′ Leo, and post-shadow ends August 25, 2025 at 08:36 UTC.
When is the Mercury cazimi in this retrograde?
The cazimi is July 31, 2025 at 23:41 UTC, at 9°01′ Leo. Mercury is within 17′ of the Sun from July 31, 2025 at 19:41 UTC to August 1, 2025 at 03:42 UTC.
How long is this Mercury retrograde?
24 days from station to station in UTC calendar days, from July 18, 2025 at 04:45 UTC to August 11, 2025 at 07:30 UTC.
What sign is Mercury retrograde in, July 2025?
In Leo: both stations fall in the same sign, at 15°35′ Leo on July 18, 2025 at 04:45 UTC and at 4°15′ Leo on August 11, 2025 at 07:30 UTC.
When is the shadow of the July 2025 Mercury retrograde?
Pre-shadow runs 18 days, from June 30, 2025 at 05:54 UTC to the retrograde station; post-shadow runs 14 days, from the direct station to August 25, 2025 at 08:36 UTC. With the shadow, the cycle spans 56 days.
How does this Mercury retrograde compare with the previous one?
The previous one, March 2025, ran from March 15, 2025 at 06:46 UTC to April 7, 2025 at 11:08 UTC and lasted 23 days; this one lasts 24 days. Mercury moves direct for 102 days in between.
When was Mercury last retrograde in Leo?
The last Mercury retrograde station in Leo before this one was July 7, 2019 at 23:14 UTC, at 4°28′ Leo. The next one is July 29, 2031 at 06:48 UTC, at 26°26′ Leo.
Which other planets are retrograde during the July 2025 Mercury retrograde?
Between July 18, 2025 at 04:45 UTC and August 11, 2025 at 07:30 UTC: Saturn in Aries and Pisces, Jul 13, 2025 to Nov 28, 2025, Neptune in Aries and Pisces, Jul 4, 2025 to Dec 10, 2025, and Pluto in Aquarius, May 4, 2025 to Oct 14, 2025.
What should I do during this Mercury retrograde?
From July 18, 2025 at 04:45 UTC to August 11, 2025 at 07:30 UTC: Review, revise, reconnect. Read the fine print before you sign.