Planetary hours
in Pietermaritzburg.
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 October 2026: day of Mercury
- Sunrise
- 05:22
- Sunset
- 18:07
- Next sunrise
- 05:20
A day hour lasts 1h 04m; a night hour, 56 min. Local time (Africa/Johannesburg).
Day
- 1☿︎ Mercury05:22 – 06:25
- 2☽︎ Moon06:25 – 07:29
- 3♄︎ Saturn07:29 – 08:33
- 4♃︎ Jupiter08:33 – 09:37
- 5♂︎ Mars09:37 – 10:40
- 6☉︎ Sun10:40 – 11:44
- 7♀︎ Venus11:44 – 12:48
- 8☿︎ Mercury12:48 – 13:52
- 9☽︎ Moon13:52 – 14:56
- 10♄︎ Saturn14:56 – 15:59
- 11♃︎ Jupiter15:59 – 17:03
- 12♂︎ Mars17:03 – 18:07
Night
- 1☉︎ Sun18:07 – 19:03
- 2♀︎ Venus19:03 – 19:59
- 3☿︎ Mercury19:59 – 20:55
- 4☽︎ Moon20:55 – 21:51
- 5♄︎ Saturn21:51 – 22:48
- 6♃︎ Jupiter22:48 – 23:44
- 7♂︎ Mars23:44 – 00:40
- 8☉︎ Sun00:40 – 01:36
- 9♀︎ Venus01:36 – 02:32
- 10☿︎ Mercury02:32 – 03:28
- 11☽︎ Moon03:28 – 04:24
- 12♄︎ Saturn04:24 – 05:20
Other cities · South Africa
Questions
How are the planetary hours calculated in Pietermaritzburg?
On Wednesday, 14 October 2026, the Sun rises at 05:22 and sets at 18:07: the day lasts 12h 45m, that is twelve day hours of 1h 04m. The night, until the next sunrise at 05:20, lasts 11h 14m: twelve night hours of 56 min.
Which planet rules the first hour that day?
Mercury, from 05:22 to 06:25: 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.