Daily Celestial Overview
Key timings for Friday, October 16
Planetary Hours in London This Week
| Date | Day ruler | First hour starts | Daytime hour | Nighttime hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, Oct 16 | ♀ Venus | 7:25 AM | 53 min | 67 min |
| Saturday, Oct 17 | ♄ Saturn | 7:27 AM | 53 min | 67 min |
| Sunday, Oct 18 | ☉ Sun | 7:29 AM | 53 min | 67 min |
| Monday, Oct 19 | ☽ Moon | 7:30 AM | 52 min | 68 min |
| Tuesday, Oct 20 | ♂ Mars | 7:32 AM | 52 min | 68 min |
| Wednesday, Oct 21 | ☿ Mercury | 7:34 AM | 52 min | 68 min |
| Thursday, Oct 22 | ♃ Jupiter | 7:36 AM | 51 min | 69 min |
Today's Hours by Planet in London
Planetary Hours in London Through 2026
So far from the equator, the swing is large. A daytime hour in London shrinks to 39 minutes around Dec 21 and stretches to 83 around Jun 21, nearly 2.1 times as long.
Clocks in London go forward an hour on Mar 29 and back on Oct 25. The planetary hours follow the Sun, so the hours themselves don't move; only their clock times jump by an hour overnight.
The shortest day is not the darkest at both ends: London's earliest sunset comes 11 days before it, on Dec 10, and its latest sunrise 11 days after it, on Jan 1, because solar noon drifts through the year.
| In 2026 | Shortest / earliest | Longest / latest |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime hour | 39.2 min, Dec 21 | 83.3 min, Jun 21 |
| Sunrise (first hour) | 4:42 AM, Jun 12 | 8:05 AM, Jan 1 |
| Sunset (first night hour) | 3:51 PM, Dec 10 | 9:22 PM, Jun 22 |
Clock Changes in London, 2026
| Date | Clocks go | First hour, day before | First hour, that day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 29 | Forward an hour | 5:44 AM | 6:42 AM |
| Oct 25 | Back an hour | 7:39 AM | 6:41 AM |
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 London?
Today a daytime hour in London lasts about 53 minutes and a nighttime hour about 67. Over 2026 the daytime hour ranges from 39 minutes (Dec 21) to 83 (Jun 21).
Do planetary hours in London change with daylight saving time?
Their clock times do. On Mar 29 (clocks forward) and Oct 25 (clocks back), sunrise and every hour after it jump by an hour on the clock: the first hour started at 5:44 AM the day before Mar 29 and at 6:42 AM that day.