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, 9 December 2026: day of Mercury
- Sunrise
- 08:24
- Sunset
- 16:23
- Next sunrise
- 08:26
A day hour lasts 40 min; a night hour, 1h 20m. Local time (Europe/Berlin).
Day
- 1☿︎ Mercury08:24 – 09:04
- 2☽︎ Moon09:04 – 09:44
- 3♄︎ Saturn09:44 – 10:24
- 4♃︎ Jupiter10:24 – 11:04
- 5♂︎ Mars11:04 – 11:44
- 6☉︎ Sun11:44 – 12:24
- 7♀︎ Venus12:24 – 13:04
- 8☿︎ Mercury13:04 – 13:43
- 9☽︎ Moon13:43 – 14:23
- 10♄︎ Saturn14:23 – 15:03
- 11♃︎ Jupiter15:03 – 15:43
- 12♂︎ Mars15:43 – 16:23
Night
- 1☉︎ Sun16:23 – 17:43
- 2♀︎ Venus17:43 – 19:03
- 3☿︎ Mercury19:03 – 20:24
- 4☽︎ Moon20:24 – 21:44
- 5♄︎ Saturn21:44 – 23:04
- 6♃︎ Jupiter23:04 – 00:24
- 7♂︎ Mars00:24 – 01:44
- 8☉︎ Sun01:44 – 03:05
- 9♀︎ Venus03:05 – 04:25
- 10☿︎ Mercury04:25 – 05:45
- 11☽︎ Moon05:45 – 07:05
- 12♄︎ Saturn07:05 – 08:26
Other cities · Germany
Questions
How are the planetary hours calculated in Essen?
On Wednesday, 9 December 2026, the Sun rises at 08:24 and sets at 16:23: the day lasts 7h 58m, that is twelve day hours of 40 min. The night, until the next sunrise at 08:26, lasts 16h 03m: twelve night hours of 1h 20m.
Which planet rules the first hour that day?
Mercury, from 08:24 to 09:04: 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.