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What Mercury being in retrograde means and if it actually affects your mood

Right now there's an astrological phenomenon happening. It's called Mercury Retrograde and it's blamed for wreaking havoc on people's lives.

Right now there's an astrological phenomenon happening.

It's called Mercury Retrograde and it's blamed for wreaking havoc on people's lives.  

Claims range from added drama, arguments over nonsense, traffic backups, and miscommunication.

But can a planet's orbit really do all that?  We verify.

Astrologers have believed for centuries that the moon, stars, planets and the sun affect things here on earth.

In fact, the Roman god Mercury for whom the planet is named for, was a messenger ruling over transportation and communication.

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So what does it mean for Mercury to be in retrograde?

Well, the Farmer's Almanac explains it pretty simply.  

Three times a year it appears as if Mercury is going backward.  

It's all an optical illusion— the planet isn't orbiting in reverse. It's just our view from earth.

We can verify that retrograde motion of the planets is real.

But what about the supposed impacts on our relationships and experiences?

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We reached out to Darrell Heath, an astronomist with the Central Arkansas Astronomical Society.

He said, "the motions of the planets is all related to orbital mechanics, and has no bearing upon our daily lives. The fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves."

So we can verify, Mercury being in retrograde is not throwing our lives into chaos.

But we can also verify that if you choose to be more cautious and thoughtful during this time... a little extra caution never hurt anyone.

If you ever see or hear something you'd like us to verify, send us an email or reach out on social media.

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