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 Saturday, 19 December 2026: day of Saturn
- Sunrise
- 05:11
- Sunset
- 18:59
- Next sunrise
- 05:12
A day hour lasts 1h 09m; a night hour, 51 min. Local time (Africa/Johannesburg).
Day
- 1♄︎ Saturn05:11 – 06:20
- 2♃︎ Jupiter06:20 – 07:29
- 3♂︎ Mars07:29 – 08:38
- 4☉︎ Sun08:38 – 09:47
- 5♀︎ Venus09:47 – 10:56
- 6☿︎ Mercury10:56 – 12:05
- 7☽︎ Moon12:05 – 13:14
- 8♄︎ Saturn13:14 – 14:23
- 9♃︎ Jupiter14:23 – 15:32
- 10♂︎ Mars15:32 – 16:41
- 11☉︎ Sun16:41 – 17:50
- 12♀︎ Venus17:50 – 18:59
Night
- 1☿︎ Mercury18:59 – 19:50
- 2☽︎ Moon19:50 – 20:41
- 3♄︎ Saturn20:41 – 21:32
- 4♃︎ Jupiter21:32 – 22:23
- 5♂︎ Mars22:23 – 23:14
- 6☉︎ Sun23:14 – 00:05
- 7♀︎ Venus00:05 – 00:56
- 8☿︎ Mercury00:56 – 01:48
- 9☽︎ Moon01:48 – 02:39
- 10♄︎ Saturn02:39 – 03:30
- 11♃︎ Jupiter03:30 – 04:21
- 12♂︎ Mars04:21 – 05:12
Other cities · South Africa
Questions
How are the planetary hours calculated in Soweto?
On Saturday, 19 December 2026, the Sun rises at 05:11 and sets at 18:59: the day lasts 13h 47m, that is twelve day hours of 1h 09m. The night, until the next sunrise at 05:12, lasts 10h 13m: twelve night hours of 51 min.
Which planet rules the first hour that day?
Saturn, 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: 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.