Overview
- Mercury ended its Feb. 26–March 20 retrograde by stationing direct in Pisces on March 20.
- The post-retrograde shadow, often called retroshade, continues until April 9 as Mercury re-covers the same zodiac degrees.
- Practitioners advise double-checking messages, travel plans and contracts during this period, as confusion and delays may persist.
- Vogue describes retroshade as pre- and post-retrograde phases that can be more complex than the main cycle and attributes the term to its author.
- The turn direct coincides with the spring equinox and the start of Aries season, while the next Mercury retrograde is forecast to begin on June 29, 2026.