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, 28 October 2026: day of Mercury
- Sunrise
- 05:07
- Sunset
- 18:17
- Next sunrise
- 05:06
A day hour lasts 1h 06m; a night hour, 54 min. Local time (Africa/Johannesburg).
Day
- 1☿︎ Mercury05:07 – 06:13
- 2☽︎ Moon06:13 – 07:19
- 3♄︎ Saturn07:19 – 08:25
- 4♃︎ Jupiter08:25 – 09:30
- 5♂︎ Mars09:30 – 10:36
- 6☉︎ Sun10:36 – 11:42
- 7♀︎ Venus11:42 – 12:48
- 8☿︎ Mercury12:48 – 13:53
- 9☽︎ Moon13:53 – 14:59
- 10♄︎ Saturn14:59 – 16:05
- 11♃︎ Jupiter16:05 – 17:11
- 12♂︎ Mars17:11 – 18:17
Night
- 1☉︎ Sun18:17 – 19:11
- 2♀︎ Venus19:11 – 20:05
- 3☿︎ Mercury20:05 – 20:59
- 4☽︎ Moon20:59 – 21:53
- 5♄︎ Saturn21:53 – 22:47
- 6♃︎ Jupiter22:47 – 23:42
- 7♂︎ Mars23:42 – 00:36
- 8☉︎ Sun00:36 – 01:30
- 9♀︎ Venus01:30 – 02:24
- 10☿︎ Mercury02:24 – 03:18
- 11☽︎ Moon03:18 – 04:12
- 12♄︎ Saturn04:12 – 05:06
Other cities · South Africa
Questions
How are the planetary hours calculated in Pietermaritzburg?
On Wednesday, 28 October 2026, the Sun rises at 05:07 and sets at 18:17: the day lasts 13h 09m, that is twelve day hours of 1h 06m. The night, until the next sunrise at 05:06, lasts 10h 50m: twelve night hours of 54 min.
Which planet rules the first hour that day?
Mercury, from 05:07 to 06:13: 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.