Mercury Retrograde 2026: Complete Guide + Build a Retrograde Tracker App with API

Vedika API - JavaScript SDK

import { VedikaClient } from 'vedika';

const vedika = new VedikaClient('vk_live_your_api_key');

async function isMercuryRetrograde() {
  // Get current planetary positions using Swiss Ephemeris
  const positions = await vedika.vedic.planetaryPositions({
    datetime: new Date().toISOString(),
    latitude: 28.6139,   // Default location (Delhi)
    longitude: 77.2090,
    timezone: '+05:30'
  });

  const mercury = positions.planets.mercury;

  return {
    isRetrograde: mercury.isRetrograde,
    sign: mercury.sign,
    degree: mercury.degree,
    house: mercury.house,
    status: mercury.isRetrograde
      ? 'Mercury is RETROGRADE'
      : 'Mercury is direct (not retrograde)'
  };
}

// Usage
const status = await isMercuryRetrograde();
console.log(status);
// {
//   isRetrograde: true,
//   sign: 'Pisces',
//   degree: 18.42,
//   house: 11,
//   status: 'Mercury is RETROGRADE'
// }

Retrograde Notification Service (Node.js)

import { VedikaClient } from 'vedika';

const vedika = new VedikaClient('vk_live_your_api_key');

// Store previous state to detect transitions
let previousRetrograde = null;

async function checkAndNotify() {
  const positions = await vedika.vedic.planetaryPositions({
    datetime: new Date().toISOString(),
    latitude: 0,
    longitude: 0,
    timezone: '+00:00'
  });

  const mercury = positions.planets.mercury;
  const isRetro = mercury.isRetrograde;

  // Detect state change (direct -> retrograde or vice versa)
  if (previousRetrograde !== null && previousRetrograde !== isRetro) {
    if (isRetro) {
      await sendNotification({
        title: 'Mercury Retrograde Has Begun',
        body: `Mercury is now retrograde in ${mercury.sign} ` +
              `at ${mercury.degree.toFixed(2)} degrees. ` +
              `Communication and tech disruptions may increase.`,
        data: {
          sign: mercury.sign,
          degree: mercury.degree,
          startDate: new Date().toISOString()
        }
      });
    } else {
      await sendNotification({
        title: 'Mercury Retrograde Is Over',
        body: `Mercury is now direct in ${mercury.sign}. ` +
              `The retrograde period has ended. ` +
              `Safe to sign contracts and launch projects.`,
        data: {
          sign: mercury.sign,
          degree: mercury.degree,
          endDate: new Date().toISOString()
        }
      });
    }
  }

  previousRetrograde = isRetro;
}

async function sendNotification(payload) {
  // Replace with your push notification service
  // (Firebase Cloud Messaging, OneSignal, etc.)
  console.log('Sending notification:', payload);
  // await admin.messaging().sendToTopic('retrograde-alerts', payload);
}

// Run daily at midnight UTC
// In production, use a cron scheduler (node-cron, Cloud Scheduler)
import cron from 'node-cron';
cron.schedule('0 0 * * *', checkAndNotify);

Mercury Retrograde Countdown Widget

import { VedikaClient } from 'vedika';

const vedika = new VedikaClient('vk_live_your_api_key');

// 2026 Mercury Retrograde dates (computed from Swiss Ephemeris)
const RETROGRADES_2026 = [
  { start: '2026-02-26', end: '2026-03-20', sign: 'Pisces' },
  { start: '2026-06-25', end: '2026-07-18', sign: 'Cancer' },
  { start: '2026-10-20', end: '2026-11-09', sign: 'Scorpio' }
];

function getRetrogradeCountdown() {
  const now = new Date();

  // Check if we are currently in a retrograde
  for (const retro of RETROGRADES_2026) {
    const start = new Date(retro.start);
    const end = new Date(retro.end);

    if (now >= start && now <= end) {
      const daysLeft = Math.ceil((end - now) / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24));
      return {
        status: 'active',
        message: `Mercury Retrograde in ${retro.sign}`,
        daysRemaining: daysLeft,
        endDate: retro.end,
        badge: 'RETROGRADE NOW'
      };
    }
  }

  // Find next upcoming retrograde
  for (const retro of RETROGRADES_2026) {
    const start = new Date(retro.start);
    if (now < start) {
      const daysUntil = Math.ceil((start - now) / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24));
      return {
        status: 'upcoming',
        message: `Next retrograde: ${retro.sign}`,
        daysUntil: daysUntil,
        startDate: retro.start,
        badge: `${daysUntil} DAYS AWAY`
      };
    }
  }

  return { status: 'clear', message: 'No more retrogrades in 2026' };
}

// Verify with live API data for accuracy
async function verifyWithAPI() {
  const positions = await vedika.vedic.planetaryPositions({
    datetime: new Date().toISOString(),
    latitude: 0,
    longitude: 0,
    timezone: '+00:00'
  });

  const mercury = positions.planets.mercury;
  const countdown = getRetrogradeCountdown();

  return {
    ...countdown,
    liveRetrograde: mercury.isRetrograde,
    currentSign: mercury.sign,
    currentDegree: mercury.degree.toFixed(2)
  };
}

// Render widget HTML
function renderWidget(data) {
  const bgColor = data.status === 'active'
    ? 'background: linear-gradient(135deg, #dc2626, #991b1b)'
    : 'background: linear-gradient(135deg, #059669, #047857)';

  return `
    <div style="${bgColor}; color: white; padding: 20px;
                border-radius: 12px; text-align: center;
                font-family: system-ui;">
      <div style="font-size: 14px; opacity: 0.9;">
        ${data.badge}
      </div>
      <div style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 8px 0;">
        ${data.status === 'active'
          ? data.daysRemaining + ' days remaining'
          : data.daysUntil + ' days until retrograde'}
      </div>
      <div style="font-size: 14px; opacity: 0.8;">
        ${data.message} | Mercury in ${data.currentSign}
        at ${data.currentDegree}°
      </div>
    </div>
  `;
}