Planetary hours
in Soweto.
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, 7 October 2026: day of Mercury
- Sunrise
- 05:41
- Sunset
- 18:11
- Next sunrise
- 05:40
A day hour lasts 1h 02m; a night hour, 57 min. Local time (Africa/Johannesburg).
Day
- 1☿︎ Mercury05:41 – 06:44
- 2☽︎ Moon06:44 – 07:46
- 3♄︎ Saturn07:46 – 08:49
- 4♃︎ Jupiter08:49 – 09:51
- 5♂︎ Mars09:51 – 10:54
- 6☉︎ Sun10:54 – 11:56
- 7♀︎ Venus11:56 – 12:59
- 8☿︎ Mercury12:59 – 14:01
- 9☽︎ Moon14:01 – 15:03
- 10♄︎ Saturn15:03 – 16:06
- 11♃︎ Jupiter16:06 – 17:08
- 12♂︎ Mars17:08 – 18:11
Night
- 1☉︎ Sun18:11 – 19:08
- 2♀︎ Venus19:08 – 20:06
- 3☿︎ Mercury20:06 – 21:03
- 4☽︎ Moon21:03 – 22:01
- 5♄︎ Saturn22:01 – 22:58
- 6♃︎ Jupiter22:58 – 23:56
- 7♂︎ Mars23:56 – 00:53
- 8☉︎ Sun00:53 – 01:50
- 9♀︎ Venus01:50 – 02:48
- 10☿︎ Mercury02:48 – 03:45
- 11☽︎ Moon03:45 – 04:43
- 12♄︎ Saturn04:43 – 05:40
Other cities · South Africa
Questions
How are the planetary hours calculated in Soweto?
On Wednesday, 7 October 2026, the Sun rises at 05:41 and sets at 18:11: the day lasts 12h 29m, that is twelve day hours of 1h 02m. The night, until the next sunrise at 05:40, lasts 11h 30m: twelve night hours of 57 min.
Which planet rules the first hour that day?
Mercury, from 05:41 to 06:44: 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.