Mercury in Astrology

Astronomy

Mercury is the innermost planet and completes an orbit around the Sun in about 88 days.

Traditional or modern astrological symbolism

Mercury symbolizes communication, language, categorization, movement, and the style of thinking.

This symbolic association is part of astrological interpretation and should not be confused with a demonstrated physical influence on personality or events.

Mercury retrograde

From Earth, Mercury can appear to reverse direction temporarily against the background stars because of relative orbital motion. Astrologers attach symbolic meanings to that apparent reversal; see the Mercury retrograde guide for the distinction.