Planetary Hours Today
The planetary hours for today at your location: the hour that rules right now, and the full day and night table.
Working out the hour…
Your place
Planetary hours begin at your local sunrise, so they depend on where you are. If nothing is set, the hours are shown for New York.
Use this device
Your location stays in this browser. It is never sent to Olytis.
Enter latitude and longitude instead
What planetary hours are
Long before clocks, people kept time by the sun. In the system of planetary hours, the stretch from sunrise to sunset is divided into twelve equal parts, and so is the night from sunset to the next sunrise. Each of these “unequal hours” is given to one of the seven visible planets of the ancient world, in an order that has been in use for around two thousand years. It is also where the names of our weekdays come from.
How they are calculated
- Find today’s sunrise and sunset for your place, and tomorrow’s sunrise.
- Divide the daylight by twelve for the length of a day hour, and the night by twelve for a night hour.
- Give the first hour after sunrise to the planet of the weekday, then follow the Chaldean order, from the slowest planet to the fastest: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon.
| Day | Ruler and first hour |
|---|---|
| Sunday | ☉ Sun |
| Monday | ☽ Moon |
| Tuesday | ♂ Mars |
| Wednesday | ☿ Mercury |
| Thursday | ♃ Jupiter |
| Friday | ♀ Venus |
| Saturday | ♄ Saturn |
Because of that order, the hour after the twenty-fourth always lands on the next day’s ruler, which is how the seven-day week fits together.
How to use them
Think of each hour as a colour rather than a command. Traditional associations give the Sun clarity and purpose, the Moon feeling and rest, Mercury study and conversation, Venus beauty and kindness, Mars courage and effort, Jupiter generosity and gratitude, and Saturn patience and quiet structure. A simple way to begin is to look up the current hour, pause for a minute, and set one small intention that suits it. For a fuller rhythm, pair it with today’s meditation or the readings in the Daily Study Chamber.
For the sun, the moon and the night sky together, open The Hours, our full sky clock.
Planetary hours: questions
What are planetary hours?
Planetary hours are an old way of dividing time. Daylight, from sunrise to sunset, is split into twelve equal hours, and the night, from sunset to the next sunrise, into twelve more. Each hour is given to one of the seven classical planets: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury and the Moon.
How are planetary hours calculated?
Take the time between sunrise and sunset and divide it by twelve to get the length of a day hour; do the same from sunset to the next sunrise for the night hours. The first hour after sunrise belongs to the planet that rules the day of the week, and the rest follow in the Chaldean order: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon, and round again.
Why aren’t planetary hours sixty minutes long?
Because they follow the sun, not the clock. Near the summer solstice a day hour can last well over an hour and a night hour much less; in winter it is the other way round. Only near the equinoxes are both close to sixty minutes.
Which planet rules today?
The planet of the first hour after sunrise rules the whole day: the Sun on Sunday, the Moon on Monday, Mars on Tuesday, Mercury on Wednesday, Jupiter on Thursday, Venus on Friday and Saturn on Saturday. The planetary day runs from sunrise to the next sunrise, so just after midnight it is still yesterday’s planetary day.
Do I need to share my location?
No. The page starts with New York. You can search for your city or type coordinates instead, and if you choose to use your device location it stays in your browser and is never sent to us.
How can I use planetary hours in practice?
Treat them as a gentle rhythm rather than a rule. Choose an hour whose quality suits what you want to give attention to, such as a Mercury hour for study or a Venus hour for kindness and beauty, and begin a short meditation or task inside it. Nothing here is a prediction; the hours are simply a way to bring intention to your day.
Keep going
- Today
Today’s meditation, moon, planetary hour and card in one place.
- The Daily Study Chamber
Your full daily practice: readings, cycles, tarot and the meditation.
- The Meditations book
Twenty-six images and practices in a four-week cycle.
Membership is free, with no fees. We never sell or share your info. Privacy