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 Friday, 18 December 2026: day of Venus
- 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♀︎ Venus05:11 – 06:20
- 2☿︎ Mercury06:20 – 07:29
- 3☽︎ Moon07:29 – 08:38
- 4♄︎ Saturn08:38 – 09:47
- 5♃︎ Jupiter09:47 – 10:56
- 6♂︎ Mars10:56 – 12:05
- 7☉︎ Sun12:05 – 13:14
- 8♀︎ Venus13:14 – 14:22
- 9☿︎ Mercury14:22 – 15:31
- 10☽︎ Moon15:31 – 16:40
- 11♄︎ Saturn16:40 – 17:49
- 12♃︎ Jupiter17:49 – 18:58
Night
- 1♂︎ Mars18:58 – 19:49
- 2☉︎ Sun19:49 – 20:40
- 3♀︎ Venus20:40 – 21:32
- 4☿︎ Mercury21:32 – 22:23
- 5☽︎ Moon22:23 – 23:14
- 6♄︎ Saturn23:14 – 00:05
- 7♃︎ Jupiter00:05 – 00:56
- 8♂︎ Mars00:56 – 01:47
- 9☉︎ Sun01:47 – 02:38
- 10♀︎ Venus02:38 – 03:29
- 11☿︎ Mercury03:29 – 04:20
- 12☽︎ Moon04:20 – 05:11
Other cities · South Africa
Questions
How are the planetary hours calculated in Soweto?
On Friday, 18 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?
Venus, 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: Mercury, the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, then Venus 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.