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 Thursday, 17 December 2026: day of Jupiter
- Sunrise
- 05:11
- Sunset
- 18:58
- Next sunrise
- 05:11
A day hour lasts 1h 09m; a night hour, 51 min. Local time (Africa/Johannesburg).
Day
- 1♃︎ Jupiter05:11 – 06:20
- 2♂︎ Mars06:20 – 07:28
- 3☉︎ Sun07:28 – 08:37
- 4♀︎ Venus08:37 – 09:46
- 5☿︎ Mercury09:46 – 10:55
- 6☽︎ Moon10:55 – 12:04
- 7♄︎ Saturn12:04 – 13:13
- 8♃︎ Jupiter13:13 – 14:22
- 9♂︎ Mars14:22 – 15:31
- 10☉︎ Sun15:31 – 16:40
- 11♀︎ Venus16:40 – 17:49
- 12☿︎ Mercury17:49 – 18:58
Night
- 1☽︎ Moon18:58 – 19:49
- 2♄︎ Saturn19:49 – 20:40
- 3♃︎ Jupiter20:40 – 21:31
- 4♂︎ Mars21:31 – 22:22
- 5☉︎ Sun22:22 – 23:13
- 6♀︎ Venus23:13 – 00:04
- 7☿︎ Mercury00:04 – 00:55
- 8☽︎ Moon00:55 – 01:47
- 9♄︎ Saturn01:47 – 02:38
- 10♃︎ Jupiter02:38 – 03:29
- 11♂︎ Mars03:29 – 04:20
- 12☉︎ Sun04:20 – 05:11
Other cities · South Africa
Questions
How are the planetary hours calculated in Soweto?
On Thursday, 17 December 2026, the Sun rises at 05:11 and sets at 18:58: the day lasts 13h 47m, that is twelve day hours of 1h 09m. The night, until the next sunrise at 05:11, lasts 10h 13m: twelve night hours of 51 min.
Which planet rules the first hour that day?
Jupiter, from 05:11 to 06:20: the first hour of a day always goes to the planet of the weekday. The next ones follow the Chaldean order: Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury, the Moon, Saturn, then Jupiter 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.