Mercury in Cancer
Mercury in Cancer thinks through memory and mood. You remember how every conversation felt, read the tone before the words, and speak most freely to the few people you trust.
Years from now you will still know where you were sitting when a friend told you their news, what the light was like, and the exact pause before they said it.
Memory first
Mercury in Cancer files everything by feeling. You do not remember dates so much as moods: the evening a plan went well, the phone call that went wrong, the teacher who made a subject come alive. Ask you about a meeting and you will tell them who was uneasy before you tell them what was decided. That is not a lack of attention to the facts. It is attention to the facts that most people miss.
You learn best from a person rather than a page. A subject taught by someone you like goes in and stays there; the same subject from a stranger slides off.
The Crab’s shell
Cancer’s picture is the Crab, which never approaches anything head on. Your thinking moves the same way. You approach a hard subject at an angle, test the water with a question about something else, and only reach the real point when you are sure it is safe. People who expect a direct answer can find this slow. People who need gentleness find it a mercy, because you never walk straight at the sore place.
Cancer belongs to the Moon, so your mind rises and falls a little with your mood. On a good day you are funny, warm, quick with a story. On a bad day the words dry up and listening suits you better.
Holding on
What you hold, you hold. An unkind remark stays with you, replayed at night in its original tone of voice, long after the person who said it has forgotten. You can defend a family story or an old loyalty past the point where the evidence agrees with you.
Keeper of the stories
Every family remembers through one talker, and you are that talker: who said what at the table in the old house, the name of the dog before the dog everyone remembers. Ask you for the history and you give it in order, with the voices. Your best ideas come the same way, in the right company and the right quiet, and not before.
When you do speak your mind in full, the people close to you listen harder than they do to anyone else, because they know how much you considered before you said it.
Were you born with Mercury in Cancer?
Mercury comes to Cancer every year and stays about two and a half weeks, or as long as two months when it turns retrograde there.
Mercury’s every stay in Cancer from 1920 to 2030, from the minute it entered to the minute it left, in Universal Time (UTC). Born on a first or last day? Then the hour and the place decide it, and your chart settles it.
1920s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| June 7, 1920, 3:02 a.m. | June 26, 1920, 12:30 p.m. |
| August 2, 1920, 10:10 p.m. | August 10, 1920, 9:12 a.m. |
| May 31, 1921, 5:12 a.m. | August 8, 1921, 7:41 a.m. |
| June 1, 1922, 3:08 a.m. | June 10, 1922, 10:13 p.m. |
| July 13, 1922, 8:04 p.m. | July 31, 1922, 1:25 p.m. |
| July 8, 1923, 12:47 p.m. | July 23, 1923, 2:07 a.m. |
| June 29, 1924, 1:22 p.m. | July 13, 1924, 3:38 p.m. |
| June 20, 1925, 11:07 p.m. | July 5, 1925, 5:52 p.m. |
| June 12, 1926, 10:08 a.m. | June 29, 1926, 5:01 a.m. |
| June 4, 1927, 1:38 p.m. | June 28, 1927, 7:33 p.m. |
| July 14, 1927, 4:08 a.m. | August 12, 1927, 3:43 a.m. |
| May 28, 1928, 11:03 p.m. | August 4, 1928, 8:00 p.m. |
| July 11, 1929, 9:07 p.m. | July 27, 1929, 3:11 p.m. |
1930s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| July 4, 1930, 10:10 p.m. | July 19, 1930, 2:44 a.m. |
| June 26, 1931, 1:49 p.m. | July 10, 1931, 7:55 p.m. |
| June 16, 1932, 10:30 p.m. | July 2, 1932, 8:16 a.m. |
| June 8, 1933, 2:12 p.m. | June 27, 1933, 1:12 a.m. |
| June 1, 1934, 8:22 a.m. | August 9, 1934, 1:49 p.m. |
| May 29, 1935, 7:26 p.m. | June 20, 1935, 5:58 p.m. |
| July 13, 1935, 10:22 p.m. | August 2, 1935, 1:48 a.m. |
| July 8, 1936, 8:48 p.m. | July 23, 1936, 3:39 p.m. |
| July 1, 1937, 2:21 a.m. | July 15, 1937, 4:11 a.m. |
| June 22, 1938, 1:09 p.m. | July 7, 1938, 3:21 a.m. |
| June 13, 1939, 11:01 p.m. | June 30, 1939, 6:41 a.m. |
1940s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| June 4, 1940, 10:28 p.m. | June 26, 1940, 2:32 p.m. |
| July 21, 1940, 1:39 a.m. | August 11, 1940, 5:06 p.m. |
| May 29, 1941, 5:32 p.m. | August 6, 1941, 5:57 a.m. |
| July 12, 1942, 8:24 p.m. | July 29, 1942, 4:23 a.m. |
| July 6, 1943, 9:05 a.m. | July 20, 1943, 4:08 p.m. |
| June 27, 1944, 3:40 a.m. | July 11, 1944, 7:41 a.m. |
| June 18, 1945, 12:27 p.m. | July 3, 1945, 3:39 p.m. |
| June 10, 1946, 2:00 a.m. | June 27, 1946, 7:07 p.m. |
| June 2, 1947, 1:40 p.m. | August 10, 1947, 5:40 p.m. |
| May 28, 1948, 10:50 a.m. | June 28, 1948, 5:57 p.m. |
| July 11, 1948, 8:56 p.m. | August 2, 1948, 1:54 p.m. |
| July 10, 1949, 3:20 a.m. | July 25, 1949, 5:20 a.m. |
1950s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| July 2, 1950, 2:57 p.m. | July 16, 1950, 5:08 p.m. |
| June 24, 1951, 3:13 a.m. | July 8, 1951, 1:39 p.m. |
| June 14, 1952, 12:22 p.m. | June 30, 1952, 10:27 a.m. |
| June 6, 1953, 8:23 a.m. | June 26, 1953, 11:00 a.m. |
| July 28, 1953, 1:40 p.m. | August 11, 1953, 2:04 p.m. |
| May 30, 1954, 4:13 p.m. | August 7, 1954, 2:44 p.m. |
| July 13, 1955, 2:44 p.m. | July 30, 1955, 5:22 p.m. |
| July 6, 1956, 7:02 p.m. | July 21, 1956, 5:35 a.m. |
| June 28, 1957, 5:08 p.m. | July 12, 1957, 7:41 p.m. |
| June 20, 1958, 2:20 a.m. | July 4, 1958, 11:46 p.m. |
| June 11, 1959, 2:11 p.m. | June 28, 1959, 4:31 p.m. |
1960s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| June 2, 1960, 8:31 p.m. | July 1, 1960, 1:13 a.m. |
| July 6, 1960, 1:23 a.m. | August 10, 1960, 5:49 p.m. |
| May 28, 1961, 5:23 p.m. | August 4, 1961, 1:15 a.m. |
| July 11, 1962, 7:37 a.m. | July 26, 1962, 6:50 p.m. |
| July 4, 1963, 2:59 a.m. | July 18, 1963, 6:19 a.m. |
| June 24, 1964, 5:17 p.m. | July 9, 1964, 12:38 a.m. |
| June 16, 1965, 2:04 a.m. | July 1, 1965, 3:55 p.m. |
| June 7, 1966, 7:11 p.m. | June 26, 1966, 7:05 p.m. |
| May 31, 1967, 6:02 p.m. | August 8, 1967, 10:09 p.m. |
| May 29, 1968, 10:44 p.m. | June 13, 1968, 10:32 p.m. |
| July 13, 1968, 1:29 a.m. | July 31, 1968, 6:11 a.m. |
| July 8, 1969, 3:58 a.m. | July 22, 1969, 7:11 p.m. |
1970s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| June 30, 1970, 6:22 a.m. | July 14, 1970, 8:06 a.m. |
| June 21, 1971, 4:25 p.m. | July 6, 1971, 8:53 a.m. |
| June 12, 1972, 2:56 a.m. | June 28, 1972, 4:52 p.m. |
| June 4, 1973, 4:42 a.m. | June 27, 1973, 6:42 a.m. |
| July 16, 1973, 8:03 a.m. | August 11, 1973, 12:21 p.m. |
| May 29, 1974, 8:03 a.m. | August 5, 1974, 11:42 a.m. |
| July 12, 1975, 8:56 a.m. | July 28, 1975, 8:05 a.m. |
| July 4, 1976, 2:18 p.m. | July 18, 1976, 7:35 p.m. |
| June 26, 1977, 7:07 a.m. | July 10, 1977, 12:00 p.m. |
| June 17, 1978, 3:49 p.m. | July 2, 1978, 10:28 p.m. |
| June 9, 1979, 6:32 a.m. | June 27, 1979, 9:52 a.m. |
1980s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| May 31, 1980, 10:05 p.m. | August 9, 1980, 3:30 a.m. |
| May 28, 1981, 5:04 p.m. | June 22, 1981, 10:51 p.m. |
| July 12, 1981, 9:08 p.m. | August 1, 1981, 6:30 p.m. |
| July 9, 1982, 11:26 a.m. | July 24, 1982, 8:48 a.m. |
| July 1, 1983, 7:18 p.m. | July 15, 1983, 8:57 p.m. |
| June 22, 1984, 6:40 a.m. | July 6, 1984, 6:56 p.m. |
| June 13, 1985, 4:11 p.m. | June 29, 1985, 7:34 p.m. |
| June 5, 1986, 2:06 p.m. | June 26, 1986, 2:15 p.m. |
| July 23, 1986, 9:50 p.m. | August 11, 1986, 9:09 p.m. |
| May 30, 1987, 4:21 a.m. | August 6, 1987, 9:20 p.m. |
| July 12, 1988, 6:42 a.m. | July 28, 1988, 9:19 p.m. |
| July 6, 1989, 12:55 a.m. | July 20, 1989, 9:04 a.m. |
1990s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| June 27, 1990, 8:46 p.m. | July 11, 1990, 11:49 p.m. |
| June 19, 1991, 5:40 a.m. | July 4, 1991, 6:05 a.m. |
| June 9, 1992, 6:27 p.m. | June 27, 1992, 5:11 a.m. |
| June 2, 1993, 3:54 a.m. | August 10, 1993, 5:51 a.m. |
| May 28, 1994, 2:52 p.m. | July 2, 1994, 11:18 p.m. |
| July 10, 1994, 12:41 p.m. | August 3, 1994, 6:09 a.m. |
| July 10, 1995, 4:58 p.m. | July 25, 1995, 10:19 p.m. |
| July 2, 1996, 7:37 a.m. | July 16, 1996, 9:56 a.m. |
| June 23, 1997, 8:40 p.m. | July 8, 1997, 5:27 a.m. |
| June 15, 1998, 5:33 a.m. | June 30, 1998, 11:51 p.m. |
| June 7, 1999, 12:18 a.m. | June 26, 1999, 3:39 p.m. |
| July 31, 1999, 6:44 p.m. | August 11, 1999, 4:25 a.m. |
2000s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| May 30, 2000, 4:27 a.m. | August 7, 2000, 5:42 a.m. |
| July 12, 2001, 10:47 p.m. | July 30, 2001, 10:18 a.m. |
| July 7, 2002, 10:35 a.m. | July 21, 2002, 10:41 p.m. |
| June 29, 2003, 10:17 a.m. | July 13, 2003, 12:10 p.m. |
| June 19, 2004, 7:50 p.m. | July 4, 2004, 2:52 p.m. |
| June 11, 2005, 7:03 a.m. | June 28, 2005, 4:01 a.m. |
| June 3, 2006, 11:21 a.m. | June 28, 2006, 7:57 p.m. |
| July 10, 2006, 8:18 p.m. | August 11, 2006, 4:09 a.m. |
| May 29, 2007, 12:56 a.m. | August 4, 2007, 5:15 p.m. |
| July 10, 2008, 8:17 p.m. | July 26, 2008, 11:48 a.m. |
| July 3, 2009, 7:20 p.m. | July 17, 2009, 11:07 p.m. |
2010s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| June 25, 2010, 10:32 a.m. | July 9, 2010, 4:29 p.m. |
| June 16, 2011, 7:09 p.m. | July 2, 2011, 5:38 a.m. |
| June 7, 2012, 11:16 a.m. | June 26, 2012, 2:24 a.m. |
| May 31, 2013, 7:07 a.m. | August 8, 2013, 12:13 p.m. |
| May 29, 2014, 9:12 a.m. | June 17, 2014, 10:05 a.m. |
| July 13, 2014, 4:45 a.m. | July 31, 2014, 10:46 p.m. |
| July 8, 2015, 6:52 p.m. | July 23, 2015, 12:14 p.m. |
| June 29, 2016, 11:24 p.m. | July 14, 2016, 12:47 a.m. |
| June 21, 2017, 9:57 a.m. | July 6, 2017, 12:20 a.m. |
| June 12, 2018, 8:00 p.m. | June 29, 2018, 5:16 a.m. |
| June 4, 2019, 8:05 p.m. | June 27, 2019, 12:20 a.m. |
| July 19, 2019, 7:06 a.m. | August 11, 2019, 7:46 p.m. |
2020s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| May 28, 2020, 6:09 p.m. | August 5, 2020, 3:32 a.m. |
| July 11, 2021, 8:35 p.m. | July 28, 2021, 1:12 a.m. |
| July 5, 2022, 6:25 a.m. | July 19, 2022, 12:35 p.m. |
| June 27, 2023, 12:24 a.m. | July 11, 2023, 4:11 a.m. |
| June 17, 2024, 9:07 a.m. | July 2, 2024, 12:50 p.m. |
| June 8, 2025, 10:58 p.m. | June 26, 2025, 7:09 p.m. |
| June 1, 2026, 11:56 a.m. | August 9, 2026, 4:28 p.m. |
| May 28, 2027, 5:07 p.m. | June 26, 2027, 7:19 a.m. |
| July 12, 2027, 1:48 p.m. | August 2, 2027, 10:52 a.m. |
| July 9, 2028, 1:38 a.m. | July 24, 2028, 1:51 a.m. |
| July 1, 2029, 12:02 p.m. | July 15, 2029, 1:37 p.m. |
2030s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| June 22, 2030, 11:56 p.m. | July 7, 2030, 10:23 a.m. |
Find your own Mercury
Your chart is free and takes a moment: the wheel, your Sun, Moon and rising sign, and where Mercury sits in it, to the degree.