Planetary hours
in Essen.
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, 14 January 2026: day of Mercury
- Sunrise
- 08:31
- Sunset
- 16:50
- Next sunrise
- 08:30
A day hour lasts 42 min; a night hour, 1h 18m. Local time (Europe/Berlin).
Day
- 1☿︎ Mercury08:31 – 09:13
- 2☽︎ Moon09:13 – 09:54
- 3♄︎ Saturn09:54 – 10:36
- 4♃︎ Jupiter10:36 – 11:17
- 5♂︎ Mars11:17 – 11:59
- 6☉︎ Sun11:59 – 12:41
- 7♀︎ Venus12:41 – 13:22
- 8☿︎ Mercury13:22 – 14:04
- 9☽︎ Moon14:04 – 14:46
- 10♄︎ Saturn14:46 – 15:27
- 11♃︎ Jupiter15:27 – 16:09
- 12♂︎ Mars16:09 – 16:50
Night
- 1☉︎ Sun16:50 – 18:09
- 2♀︎ Venus18:09 – 19:27
- 3☿︎ Mercury19:27 – 20:45
- 4☽︎ Moon20:45 – 22:04
- 5♄︎ Saturn22:04 – 23:22
- 6♃︎ Jupiter23:22 – 00:40
- 7♂︎ Mars00:40 – 01:59
- 8☉︎ Sun01:59 – 03:17
- 9♀︎ Venus03:17 – 04:35
- 10☿︎ Mercury04:35 – 05:54
- 11☽︎ Moon05:54 – 07:12
- 12♄︎ Saturn07:12 – 08:30
Other cities · Germany
Questions
How are the planetary hours calculated in Essen?
On Wednesday, 14 January 2026, the Sun rises at 08:31 and sets at 16:50: the day lasts 8h 19m, that is twelve day hours of 42 min. The night, until the next sunrise at 08:30, lasts 15h 40m: twelve night hours of 1h 18m.
Which planet rules the first hour that day?
Mercury, from 08:31 to 09:13: 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.