Daily Celestial Overview
Key timings for Friday, October 16
Planetary Hours in Cape Town This Week
| Date | Day ruler | First hour starts | Daytime hour | Nighttime hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, Oct 16 | ♀ Venus | 6:03 AM | 65 min | 55 min |
| Saturday, Oct 17 | ♄ Saturn | 6:02 AM | 65 min | 55 min |
| Sunday, Oct 18 | ☉ Sun | 6:01 AM | 65 min | 55 min |
| Monday, Oct 19 | ☽ Moon | 5:59 AM | 65 min | 55 min |
| Tuesday, Oct 20 | ♂ Mars | 5:58 AM | 65 min | 54 min |
| Wednesday, Oct 21 | ☿ Mercury | 5:57 AM | 66 min | 54 min |
| Thursday, Oct 22 | ♃ Jupiter | 5:56 AM | 66 min | 54 min |
Today's Hours by Planet in Cape Town
Planetary Hours in Cape Town Through 2026
Over the year a daytime hour in Cape Town runs from 50 minutes around Jun 21 to 72 minutes around Dec 21, a swing of 22 minutes.
South of the equator the seasons run the other way, so Cape Town's longest daytime hours fall in December and its shortest in June.
Cape Town lies west of the meridian its clocks follow (UTC+2), so the Sun, and with it the first planetary hour, runs about 46 minutes behind the clock: noon by the Sun comes near 12:46 PM standard time.
The shortest day is not the darkest at both ends: Cape Town's earliest sunset comes 18 days before it, on Jun 3, and its latest sunrise 7 days after it, on Jun 28, because solar noon drifts through the year.
| In 2026 | Shortest / earliest | Longest / latest |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime hour | 49.5 min, Jun 21 | 72.1 min, Dec 21 |
| Sunrise (first hour) | 5:27 AM, Dec 2 | 7:52 AM, Jun 28 |
| Sunset (first night hour) | 5:44 PM, Jun 3 | 8:01 PM, Jan 1 |
How These Times Are Calculated
Twelve equal hours run from sunrise to sunset and twelve from sunset to the next sunrise, starting with the weekday's ruler and following the Chaldean order. Every time on this page, today's and the year's, is calculated for these coordinates with a high-precision ephemeris.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a planetary hour in Cape Town?
Today a daytime hour in Cape Town lasts about 65 minutes and a nighttime hour about 55. Over 2026 the daytime hour ranges from 50 minutes (Jun 21) to 72 (Dec 21).
Do planetary hours in Cape Town change with daylight saving time?
No. Cape Town stays on UTC+2 all year, so its hours shift only a minute or two a day with the seasons.