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 Saturday, 17 October 2026: day of Saturn
- Sunrise
- 05:18
- Sunset
- 18:09
- Next sunrise
- 05:17
A day hour lasts 1h 04m; a night hour, 56 min. Local time (Africa/Johannesburg).
Day
- 1♄︎ Saturn05:18 – 06:22
- 2♃︎ Jupiter06:22 – 07:27
- 3♂︎ Mars07:27 – 08:31
- 4☉︎ Sun08:31 – 09:35
- 5♀︎ Venus09:35 – 10:39
- 6☿︎ Mercury10:39 – 11:44
- 7☽︎ Moon11:44 – 12:48
- 8♄︎ Saturn12:48 – 13:52
- 9♃︎ Jupiter13:52 – 14:56
- 10♂︎ Mars14:56 – 16:00
- 11☉︎ Sun16:00 – 17:05
- 12♀︎ Venus17:05 – 18:09
Night
- 1☿︎ Mercury18:09 – 19:05
- 2☽︎ Moon19:05 – 20:00
- 3♄︎ Saturn20:00 – 20:56
- 4♃︎ Jupiter20:56 – 21:52
- 5♂︎ Mars21:52 – 22:47
- 6☉︎ Sun22:47 – 23:43
- 7♀︎ Venus23:43 – 00:39
- 8☿︎ Mercury00:39 – 01:34
- 9☽︎ Moon01:34 – 02:30
- 10♄︎ Saturn02:30 – 03:26
- 11♃︎ Jupiter03:26 – 04:21
- 12♂︎ Mars04:21 – 05:17
Other cities · South Africa
Questions
How are the planetary hours calculated in Pietermaritzburg?
On Saturday, 17 October 2026, the Sun rises at 05:18 and sets at 18:09: the day lasts 12h 51m, that is twelve day hours of 1h 04m. The night, until the next sunrise at 05:17, lasts 11h 08m: twelve night hours of 56 min.
Which planet rules the first hour that day?
Saturn, from 05:18 to 06:22: the first hour of a day always goes to the planet of the weekday. The next ones follow the Chaldean order: Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury, the Moon, then Saturn 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.