Planetary hours
in Cape Town.
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, 21 October 2026: day of Mercury
- Sunrise
- 05:57
- Sunset
- 19:04
- Next sunrise
- 05:56
A day hour lasts 1h 06m; a night hour, 54 min. Local time (Africa/Johannesburg).
Day
- 1☿︎ Mercury05:57 – 07:03
- 2☽︎ Moon07:03 – 08:08
- 3♄︎ Saturn08:08 – 09:14
- 4♃︎ Jupiter09:14 – 10:20
- 5♂︎ Mars10:20 – 11:25
- 6☉︎ Sun11:25 – 12:31
- 7♀︎ Venus12:31 – 13:36
- 8☿︎ Mercury13:36 – 14:42
- 9☽︎ Moon14:42 – 15:47
- 10♄︎ Saturn15:47 – 16:53
- 11♃︎ Jupiter16:53 – 17:59
- 12♂︎ Mars17:59 – 19:04
Night
- 1☉︎ Sun19:04 – 19:59
- 2♀︎ Venus19:59 – 20:53
- 3☿︎ Mercury20:53 – 21:47
- 4☽︎ Moon21:47 – 22:42
- 5♄︎ Saturn22:42 – 23:36
- 6♃︎ Jupiter23:36 – 00:30
- 7♂︎ Mars00:30 – 01:24
- 8☉︎ Sun01:24 – 02:19
- 9♀︎ Venus02:19 – 03:13
- 10☿︎ Mercury03:13 – 04:07
- 11☽︎ Moon04:07 – 05:02
- 12♄︎ Saturn05:02 – 05:56
Other cities · South Africa
Questions
How are the planetary hours calculated in Cape Town?
On Wednesday, 21 October 2026, the Sun rises at 05:57 and sets at 19:04: the day lasts 13h 07m, that is twelve day hours of 1h 06m. The night, until the next sunrise at 05:56, lasts 10h 52m: twelve night hours of 54 min.
Which planet rules the first hour that day?
Mercury, from 05:57 to 07:03: 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.