Mercury’s planning an eventful couple of weeks as he exits shadow phase (12:32:44 UT today) and hits the ground running. From our point of view on Earth he’s accelerating out of the retrograde phase now, and will roughly double his speed from one degree to two degrees per day over the next two weeks leading up to the Full Moon.

He’s currently at 21+ Gemini trining Chiron on the North Node in Aquarius (exact yesterday), and trining nearby Neptune (exact Sunday). He’s also square Uranus in Pisces (exact tomorrow), and sextile Eris (exact this afternoon) who is very slow even for her, and is about to station.

Next week he proceeds to oppose the Galactic Center, then Pluto, then squares the Aries Point as he enters Cancer on Thursday, ready to sextile Mars/Saturn the following week while also aspecting the Asbolus-Huya opposition as Huya stations, and then trining Psyche. Just after the Full Moon on July 18th he makes his conjunction with Ceres in Cancer, exactly opposing Jupiter.

It’s like commentating on a horse race.

It’s also how the mind (Mercury) is mostly experienced, racing us from the past (retrograde) to the future and back again, lest we notice the present. I’m convinced this is why Mercury rules Virgo (service); it’s often said that the mind is a good servant and a terrible master.

Details of Mercury’s aspects:

Thursday 03 July 2008
10:58:31 UT – Mercury (20 ge 22′48″) trine Chiron (20 aq 22′48″ Rx)

Friday 04 July 2008
12:32:44 UT – Mercury shadow phase ends (21 ge 32′21″)
17:36:39 UT – Mercury (21 ge 46′41″) sextile Eris (21 ar 46′41″)

Saturday 05 July 2008
11:07:02 UT – Mercury (22 ge 37′40″) square Uranus (22 pi 37′40″ Rx)

Sunday 06 July 2008
10:46:06 UT – Mercury (23 ge 50′1″) trine Neptune (23 aq 50′1″ Rx)

Tuesday 08 July 2008
19:16:48 UT – Mercury (26 ge 58′45″) opposite Galactic Center (26 sa 58′45″)
20:07:56 UT – Mercury (27 ge 1′46″) conjunct Cyllarus (27 ge 1′46″)

Thursday 10 July 2008
09:50:19 UT – Mercury (29 ge 20′2″) opposite Pluto (29 sa 20′2″ Rx)
20:16:51 UT – Mercury enters Cancer (direct)

Monday 14 July 2008
08:35:57 UT – Mercury (5 cn 48′3″) sextile Saturn (5 vi 48′3″)
22:35:57 UT – Mercury (6 cn 49′59″) trine Huya (6 sc 49′59″ Rx)

Tuesday 15 July 2008
16:15:26 UT – Mercury (8 cn 9′41″) sextile Asbolus (8 ta 9′41″)
21:11:03 UT – Mercury (8 cn 32′13″) sextile Mars (8 vi 32′13″)

Wednesday 16 July 2008
18:51:35 UT – Huya stations direct (6 sc 49′56″)

Thursday 17 July 2008
19:58:27 UT – Mercury (12 cn 12′25″) trine Psyche (12 sc 12′25″)

Friday 18 July 2008
00:54:17 UT – Eris stations retrograde (21 ar 47′36″)
07:59:05 UT – FULL MOON – Sun (26 cn 4′1″) opposite Moon (26 cp 4′1″)

Saturday 19 July 2008
19:53:52 UT – Mercury (16 cn 8′12″) opposite Jupiter (16 cp 8′12″ Rx)

Sunday 20 July 2008
02:06:16 UT – Mercury (16 cn 39′23″) conjunct Ceres (16 cn 39′23″)