Mercury in Virgo
Mercury in Virgo is at its strongest, ruler and exalted at once. You sort, check and improve almost without thinking, notice the one wrong figure in a column, and trust the method over the mood.
You read the menu and spot the spelling mistake before you have chosen a meal, and you say nothing, and it nags at you all evening.
Twice honoured
Mercury rules Virgo, and the tradition also named Virgo its exaltation, the sign where a planet is most honoured. No other planet has both in one sign. So here the mind has every tool it could want and the discipline to use them: attention, order, patience with detail, and a steady wish to make things work better than they did.
You read the contract before signing, know why the spreadsheet does not add up, and can explain in three sentences what went wrong with the project. Your lists have lists. They also work.
Useful knowledge
You learn to use, not to show off, and Virgo’s natural house, the sixth, is the house of daily work. A fact earns its place in your head by being practical: how a thing is made, what a word really means, which of three routes is fastest at five o’clock. You pick up a craft by taking it apart. Doctors, editors, engineers, gardeners and anyone who fixes things are the people whose conversation you enjoy most.
When you give advice it is precise and easy to follow. A friend who asks you how to handle something leaves with steps, in order.
The critic inside
The same eye turns inward, and it is harder on you than on anyone. You finish a piece of work and see only the paragraph you would change. You worry in detail: not a general unease but a list, with sub-points. Praise sounds to you like people not having looked closely enough.
Others sense the edit coming before you have said a word, and not everyone wants their plan improved on the day they share it.
Enough
There is a point in every job where the next correction makes it worse, and you know that point better than anyone when it is someone else’s work. The kindest thing your mind does is sort, and it is at its best when it sorts the worries too, keeping the two that matter and letting the rest go.
People who have worked beside you keep your checklists for years, and swear by them to people who never met you.
Were you born with Mercury in Virgo?
Mercury comes to Virgo 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 Virgo 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 |
|---|---|
| August 31, 1920, 6:29 p.m. | September 16, 1920, 5:13 p.m. |
| August 23, 1921, 1:54 p.m. | September 9, 1921, 2:37 a.m. |
| August 15, 1922, 8:59 a.m. | September 2, 1922, 4:20 a.m. |
| August 7, 1923, 1:33 p.m. | August 27, 1923, 10:29 p.m. |
| October 4, 1923, 11:53 a.m. | October 11, 1923, 10:23 p.m. |
| July 30, 1924, 4:48 p.m. | October 7, 1924, 4:12 a.m. |
| July 26, 1925, 11:45 a.m. | August 27, 1925, 6:28 a.m. |
| September 11, 1925, 5:09 a.m. | September 29, 1925, 6:04 p.m. |
| September 5, 1926, 8:33 p.m. | September 21, 1926, 8:56 p.m. |
| August 28, 1927, 11:07 p.m. | September 14, 1927, 1:37 a.m. |
| August 19, 1928, 4:59 p.m. | September 5, 1928, 4:20 p.m. |
| August 11, 1929, 2:48 p.m. | August 30, 1929, 6:01 a.m. |
1930s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| August 4, 1930, 2:38 a.m. | August 26, 1930, 6:04 p.m. |
| September 20, 1930, 2:16 a.m. | October 11, 1930, 4:45 a.m. |
| July 28, 1931, 11:24 p.m. | October 4, 1931, 6:27 p.m. |
| July 27, 1932, 8:38 p.m. | August 10, 1932, 7:32 a.m. |
| September 9, 1932, 7:20 a.m. | September 26, 1932, 1:15 a.m. |
| September 2, 1933, 5:44 a.m. | September 18, 1933, 3:48 a.m. |
| August 25, 1934, 2:18 a.m. | September 10, 1934, 11:29 a.m. |
| August 16, 1935, 8:39 p.m. | September 3, 1935, 9:33 a.m. |
| August 7, 1936, 10:59 p.m. | August 27, 1936, 5:43 p.m. |
| July 31, 1937, 9:07 p.m. | October 8, 1937, 10:12 a.m. |
| July 26, 1938, 10:54 p.m. | September 3, 1938, 2:58 a.m. |
| September 10, 1938, 3:38 p.m. | October 1, 1938, 4:19 a.m. |
| September 7, 1939, 4:58 a.m. | September 23, 1939, 7:48 a.m. |
1940s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| August 29, 1940, 11:11 a.m. | September 14, 1940, 11:34 a.m. |
| August 21, 1941, 5:18 a.m. | September 6, 1941, 11:58 p.m. |
| August 13, 1942, 1:47 a.m. | August 31, 1942, 8:27 a.m. |
| August 5, 1943, 10:33 a.m. | August 27, 1943, 12:36 a.m. |
| September 25, 1943, 9:56 a.m. | October 11, 1943, 11:27 p.m. |
| July 28, 1944, 11:44 p.m. | October 5, 1944, 3:17 a.m. |
| July 26, 1945, 2:48 p.m. | August 17, 1945, 8:50 a.m. |
| September 10, 1945, 7:20 a.m. | September 27, 1945, 12:08 p.m. |
| September 3, 1946, 4:29 p.m. | September 19, 1946, 2:34 p.m. |
| August 26, 1947, 2:50 p.m. | September 11, 1947, 8:54 p.m. |
| August 17, 1948, 8:44 a.m. | September 3, 1948, 3:47 p.m. |
| August 9, 1949, 9:04 a.m. | August 28, 1949, 3:48 p.m. |
1950s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| August 2, 1950, 2:44 a.m. | August 27, 1950, 2:17 p.m. |
| September 10, 1950, 7:16 p.m. | October 9, 1950, 2:40 p.m. |
| July 27, 1951, 3:24 p.m. | October 2, 1951, 2:25 p.m. |
| September 7, 1952, 12:02 p.m. | September 23, 1952, 6:45 p.m. |
| August 30, 1953, 10:59 p.m. | September 15, 1953, 9:44 p.m. |
| August 22, 1954, 5:42 p.m. | September 8, 1954, 8:05 a.m. |
| August 14, 1955, 1:08 p.m. | September 1, 1955, 12:06 p.m. |
| August 5, 1956, 7:06 p.m. | August 26, 1956, 1:29 p.m. |
| September 29, 1956, 9:25 p.m. | October 11, 1956, 7:30 a.m. |
| July 30, 1957, 1:44 a.m. | October 6, 1957, 11:08 a.m. |
| July 26, 1958, 10:08 a.m. | August 23, 1958, 2:31 p.m. |
| September 11, 1958, 1:09 a.m. | September 28, 1958, 10:45 p.m. |
| September 5, 1959, 2:28 a.m. | September 21, 1959, 1:20 a.m. |
1960s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| August 27, 1960, 3:11 a.m. | September 12, 1960, 6:29 a.m. |
| August 18, 1961, 8:52 p.m. | September 4, 1961, 10:32 p.m. |
| August 10, 1962, 7:29 p.m. | August 29, 1962, 3:48 p.m. |
| August 3, 1963, 9:20 a.m. | August 26, 1963, 8:33 p.m. |
| September 16, 1963, 8:29 p.m. | October 10, 1963, 4:44 p.m. |
| July 27, 1964, 11:36 a.m. | October 3, 1964, 12:12 a.m. |
| July 31, 1965, 11:23 a.m. | August 3, 1965, 8:09 a.m. |
| September 8, 1965, 5:14 p.m. | September 25, 1965, 5:49 a.m. |
| September 1, 1966, 10:35 a.m. | September 17, 1966, 8:19 a.m. |
| August 24, 1967, 6:17 a.m. | September 9, 1967, 4:53 p.m. |
| August 15, 1968, 12:53 a.m. | September 1, 1968, 4:59 p.m. |
| August 7, 1969, 4:21 a.m. | August 27, 1969, 6:50 a.m. |
| October 7, 1969, 2:57 a.m. | October 9, 1969, 4:56 p.m. |
1970s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| July 31, 1970, 5:21 a.m. | October 7, 1970, 6:04 p.m. |
| July 26, 1971, 5:03 p.m. | August 29, 1971, 8:42 p.m. |
| September 11, 1971, 6:45 a.m. | September 30, 1971, 9:18 a.m. |
| September 5, 1972, 11:36 a.m. | September 21, 1972, 12:11 p.m. |
| August 28, 1973, 3:22 p.m. | September 13, 1973, 4:16 p.m. |
| August 20, 1974, 9:04 a.m. | September 6, 1974, 5:48 a.m. |
| August 12, 1975, 6:12 a.m. | August 30, 1975, 5:20 p.m. |
| August 3, 1976, 4:41 p.m. | August 25, 1976, 8:52 p.m. |
| September 21, 1976, 7:15 a.m. | October 10, 1976, 2:47 p.m. |
| July 28, 1977, 10:15 a.m. | October 4, 1977, 9:16 a.m. |
| July 27, 1978, 6:10 a.m. | August 13, 1978, 7:06 a.m. |
| September 9, 1978, 7:23 p.m. | September 26, 1978, 4:40 p.m. |
| September 2, 1979, 9:38 p.m. | September 18, 1979, 6:59 p.m. |
1980s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| August 24, 1980, 6:47 p.m. | September 10, 1980, 2:00 a.m. |
| August 16, 1981, 12:47 p.m. | September 2, 1981, 10:40 p.m. |
| August 8, 1982, 2:06 p.m. | August 28, 1982, 3:22 a.m. |
| August 1, 1983, 10:22 a.m. | August 29, 1983, 6:08 a.m. |
| September 6, 1983, 2:30 a.m. | October 8, 1983, 11:44 p.m. |
| July 26, 1984, 6:49 a.m. | September 30, 1984, 7:44 p.m. |
| September 6, 1985, 7:39 p.m. | September 22, 1985, 11:13 p.m. |
| August 30, 1986, 3:28 a.m. | September 15, 1986, 2:28 a.m. |
| August 21, 1987, 9:36 p.m. | September 7, 1987, 1:52 p.m. |
| August 12, 1988, 5:29 p.m. | August 30, 1988, 8:25 p.m. |
| August 5, 1989, 12:54 a.m. | August 26, 1989, 6:14 a.m. |
| September 26, 1989, 3:28 p.m. | October 11, 1989, 6:11 a.m. |
1990s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| July 29, 1990, 11:10 a.m. | October 5, 1990, 5:44 p.m. |
| July 26, 1991, 1:00 p.m. | August 19, 1991, 9:41 p.m. |
| September 10, 1991, 5:14 p.m. | September 28, 1991, 3:26 a.m. |
| September 3, 1992, 8:03 a.m. | September 19, 1992, 5:41 a.m. |
| August 26, 1993, 7:06 a.m. | September 11, 1993, 11:18 a.m. |
| August 18, 1994, 12:44 a.m. | September 4, 1994, 4:55 a.m. |
| August 10, 1995, 12:13 a.m. | August 29, 1995, 2:06 a.m. |
| August 1, 1996, 4:17 p.m. | August 26, 1996, 5:17 a.m. |
| September 12, 1996, 9:32 a.m. | October 9, 1996, 3:14 a.m. |
| July 27, 1997, 12:42 a.m. | October 2, 1997, 5:38 a.m. |
| September 8, 1998, 1:58 a.m. | September 24, 1998, 10:13 a.m. |
| August 31, 1999, 3:15 p.m. | September 16, 1999, 12:53 p.m. |
2000s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| August 22, 2000, 10:11 a.m. | September 7, 2000, 10:22 p.m. |
| August 14, 2001, 5:04 a.m. | September 1, 2001, 12:37 a.m. |
| August 6, 2002, 9:51 a.m. | August 26, 2002, 9:10 p.m. |
| October 2, 2002, 9:26 a.m. | October 11, 2002, 5:56 a.m. |
| July 30, 2003, 2:05 p.m. | October 7, 2003, 1:28 a.m. |
| July 25, 2004, 1:58 p.m. | August 25, 2004, 1:33 a.m. |
| September 10, 2004, 7:38 a.m. | September 28, 2004, 2:13 p.m. |
| September 4, 2005, 5:52 p.m. | September 20, 2005, 4:40 p.m. |
| August 27, 2006, 7:31 p.m. | September 12, 2006, 9:08 p.m. |
| August 19, 2007, 1:01 p.m. | September 5, 2007, 12:02 p.m. |
| August 10, 2008, 10:51 a.m. | August 29, 2008, 2:50 a.m. |
| August 2, 2009, 11:07 p.m. | August 25, 2009, 8:18 p.m. |
| September 18, 2009, 3:26 a.m. | October 10, 2009, 3:46 a.m. |
2010s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| July 27, 2010, 9:43 p.m. | October 3, 2010, 3:04 p.m. |
| July 28, 2011, 5:59 p.m. | August 8, 2011, 9:46 a.m. |
| September 9, 2011, 5:58 a.m. | September 25, 2011, 9:09 p.m. |
| September 1, 2012, 2:32 a.m. | September 16, 2012, 11:22 p.m. |
| August 23, 2013, 10:37 p.m. | September 9, 2013, 7:07 a.m. |
| August 15, 2014, 4:44 p.m. | September 2, 2014, 5:38 a.m. |
| August 7, 2015, 7:15 p.m. | August 27, 2015, 3:44 p.m. |
| July 30, 2016, 6:18 p.m. | October 7, 2016, 7:55 a.m. |
| July 25, 2017, 11:41 p.m. | August 31, 2017, 3:28 p.m. |
| September 10, 2017, 2:52 a.m. | September 30, 2017, 12:42 a.m. |
| September 6, 2018, 2:39 a.m. | September 22, 2018, 3:39 a.m. |
| August 29, 2019, 7:48 a.m. | September 14, 2019, 7:14 a.m. |
2020s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| August 20, 2020, 1:30 a.m. | September 5, 2020, 7:46 p.m. |
| August 11, 2021, 9:57 p.m. | August 30, 2021, 5:10 a.m. |
| August 4, 2022, 6:58 a.m. | August 26, 2022, 1:03 a.m. |
| September 23, 2022, 12:04 p.m. | October 10, 2022, 11:51 p.m. |
| July 28, 2023, 9:31 p.m. | October 5, 2023, 12:09 a.m. |
| July 25, 2024, 10:42 p.m. | August 15, 2024, 12:16 a.m. |
| September 9, 2024, 6:50 a.m. | September 26, 2024, 8:09 a.m. |
| September 2, 2025, 1:23 p.m. | September 18, 2025, 10:06 a.m. |
| August 25, 2026, 11:04 a.m. | September 10, 2026, 4:21 p.m. |
| August 17, 2027, 4:43 a.m. | September 3, 2027, 11:37 a.m. |
| August 8, 2028, 5:10 a.m. | August 27, 2028, 1:08 p.m. |
| July 31, 2029, 11:35 p.m. | August 27, 2029, 2:21 a.m. |
| September 8, 2029, 10:59 a.m. | October 8, 2029, 12:41 p.m. |
2030s
| Entered | Left |
|---|---|
| July 26, 2030, 2:54 p.m. | October 1, 2030, 10:50 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.