Planetary hours
in Belfast.
The day, from sunrise to sunset, is cut into twelve equal hours; so is the night, from sunset to the next sunrise. Each hour carries a planet, in the Chaldean order. A planetary hour therefore lasts 60 minutes only at the equinoxes: it all depends on the date and the city. Here are the exact hours for your city; what you do with them is up to you.
Planetary day of Wednesday, 16 December 2026: day of Mercury
- Sunrise
- 08:40
- Sunset
- 15:57
- Next sunrise
- 08:41
A day hour lasts 36 min; a night hour, 1h 24m. Local time (Europe/London).
Day
- 1☿︎ Mercury08:40 – 09:17
- 2☽︎ Moon09:17 – 09:53
- 3♄︎ Saturn09:53 – 10:30
- 4♃︎ Jupiter10:30 – 11:06
- 5♂︎ Mars11:06 – 11:42
- 6☉︎ Sun11:42 – 12:19
- 7♀︎ Venus12:19 – 12:55
- 8☿︎ Mercury12:55 – 13:32
- 9☽︎ Moon13:32 – 14:08
- 10♄︎ Saturn14:08 – 14:44
- 11♃︎ Jupiter14:44 – 15:21
- 12♂︎ Mars15:21 – 15:57
Night
- 1☉︎ Sun15:57 – 17:21
- 2♀︎ Venus17:21 – 18:45
- 3☿︎ Mercury18:45 – 20:08
- 4☽︎ Moon20:08 – 21:32
- 5♄︎ Saturn21:32 – 22:56
- 6♃︎ Jupiter22:56 – 00:19
- 7♂︎ Mars00:19 – 01:43
- 8☉︎ Sun01:43 – 03:06
- 9♀︎ Venus03:06 – 04:30
- 10☿︎ Mercury04:30 – 05:54
- 11☽︎ Moon05:54 – 07:17
- 12♄︎ Saturn07:17 – 08:41
Other cities · United Kingdom
Questions
How are the planetary hours calculated in Belfast?
On Wednesday, 16 December 2026, the Sun rises at 08:40 and sets at 15:57: the day lasts 7h 17m, that is twelve day hours of 36 min. The night, until the next sunrise at 08:41, lasts 16h 44m: twelve night hours of 1h 24m.
Which planet rules the first hour that day?
Mercury, from 08:40 to 09:17: the first hour of a day always goes to the planet of the weekday. The next ones follow the Chaldean order: the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, then Mercury again.
Today’s sky, on YOUR chart
Planetary hours are the same for everyone in a city. Your chart is yours alone: every morning AstroXP crosses the real sky with your birth, to the minute, and tells you what time it plays out for you.
On a computer? Scan this code with your phone.
Calendars
Sunrise and sunset calculated for the city (the Sun’s centre 0°50′ below the horizon: refraction and semi-diameter), local time of the city’s time zone. Checked against astronomy-engine, the app’s engine.