Planetary Hours

How the planetary hours work

The old magicians gave each day of the week to a planet: Sunday to the Sun, Monday to the Moon, Tuesday to Mars, Wednesday to Mercury, Thursday to Jupiter, Friday to Venus, and Saturday to Saturn. A planetary day begins at sunrise, not at midnight. The time from sunrise to sunset is divided into twelve equal hours, and the time from sunset to the next sunrise into twelve more, so the hours of a summer day are long and those of a winter day are short.

The first hour after sunrise belongs to the planet of the day. The rest follow in the old Chaldean order, from the slowest planet to the fastest: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury, the Moon, and round again. After twenty-four hours the order arrives at the planet of the next day, which is how the week got its order.

Magicians have timed their work by these hours for centuries, choosing a planet's day and one of its hours to make a talisman, say a prayer, or call on that planet's help.

• ☉︎Sun — to be seen and favored, confidence, a comeback
• ☽︎Moon — sleep and dreams, journeys, messages, the home
• ♂︎Mars — courage, finishing hard things, protection
• ☿︎Mercury — learning, exams, words, deals, quick business
• ♃︎Jupiter — increase, money, good fortune
• ♀︎Venus — love, friendship, pleasant work
• ♄︎Saturn — endings, boundaries, patience

Why is it still Tuesday's planet at 3 a.m. on Wednesday?

Because the planetary day runs from sunrise to sunrise. Until the sun comes up on Wednesday, you are still in the night hours of Tuesday, the day of Mars. Wednesday, the day of Mercury, begins with the first hour after sunrise.

How accurate is it?

Sunrise and sunset are calculated in your browser for the place you choose, to within about a minute, using the same definition as almanacs and weather apps. Nothing you choose is sent anywhere. If you live far from the listed cities, use your location for the best result.