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 Tuesday, 8 December 2026: day of Mars
- Sunrise
- 05:28
- Sunset
- 19:48
- Next sunrise
- 05:28
A day hour lasts 1h 12m; a night hour, 48 min. Local time (Africa/Johannesburg).
Day
- 1♂︎ Mars05:28 – 06:39
- 2☉︎ Sun06:39 – 07:51
- 3♀︎ Venus07:51 – 09:03
- 4☿︎ Mercury09:03 – 10:14
- 5☽︎ Moon10:14 – 11:26
- 6♄︎ Saturn11:26 – 12:38
- 7♃︎ Jupiter12:38 – 13:49
- 8♂︎ Mars13:49 – 15:01
- 9☉︎ Sun15:01 – 16:13
- 10♀︎ Venus16:13 – 17:25
- 11☿︎ Mercury17:25 – 18:36
- 12☽︎ Moon18:36 – 19:48
Night
- 1♄︎ Saturn19:48 – 20:36
- 2♃︎ Jupiter20:36 – 21:25
- 3♂︎ Mars21:25 – 22:13
- 4☉︎ Sun22:13 – 23:01
- 5♀︎ Venus23:01 – 23:50
- 6☿︎ Mercury23:50 – 00:38
- 7☽︎ Moon00:38 – 01:26
- 8♄︎ Saturn01:26 – 02:14
- 9♃︎ Jupiter02:14 – 03:03
- 10♂︎ Mars03:03 – 03:51
- 11☉︎ Sun03:51 – 04:39
- 12♀︎ Venus04:39 – 05:28
Other cities · South Africa
Questions
How are the planetary hours calculated in Cape Town?
On Tuesday, 8 December 2026, the Sun rises at 05:28 and sets at 19:48: the day lasts 14h 20m, that is twelve day hours of 1h 12m. The night, until the next sunrise at 05:28, lasts 9h 40m: twelve night hours of 48 min.
Which planet rules the first hour that day?
Mars, from 05:28 to 06:39: the first hour of a day always goes to the planet of the weekday. The next ones follow the Chaldean order: the Sun, Venus, Mercury, the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, then Mars 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.