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Planetary hours and planetary days are an ancient methodology of choosing the best time to do magic or other activities based on what planet rules that time. It was developed within Hellenistic astrology but likely has roots in older Babylonian astrology.
You use the planetary days and hours to conduct business, cast spells, and create talismans during auspicious times based on planetary rulerships. The planetary hours and days were used by ancient Hellenists as well as Babylonians to determine when certain events would occur. For example, if you wanted to know when Jupiter would be most favorable for making money, you could look at the planetary hour and day of Jupiter.
Many grimoires like the Hygromanteia include tables of planetary days and hours that can be useful for modern occultists and witches.

The Planetary Days
The planetary rulership of some of the days of the weeks is very clear. Monday is ruled by the moon, Saturday by Saturn, and Sunday by the sun. Planetary days and hours are based on the classical planets, which includes the sun and moon but not the outer planets like Uranus and Pluto.
Here are the traditional planetary rulers of the days:
Day | Planet | Meaning | Malefic or Benefic? | |
Sunday | The sun | Magically, the sun is a symbol of life and growth. It is also a symbol of our own personal power to grow spiritually. This is a day to set intentions. | Neutral / Benefic | |
Monday | The moon | Monday is a day of the divine feminine, the moon, emotions, and mystery. Work with the moon on Mondays to reflect on your life, your goals, and to honor feminine energies. Work on projects that require attention to detail. | Neutral | |
Tuesday | Mars | Astrologically, Mars represents principles such as strength and aggression. It is associated with the element of fire, which can be seen in its red color. In mythology, Mars was the god of war. | Malefic | |
Wednesday | Mercury | In modern astrology, Mercury represents the mind and the intellect. In the ancient world, it was associated with Hermes/Mercury, the messenger of the gods who could travel between worlds as well as communicate with humans on a mental level. | Neutral | |
Thursday | Jupiter | The planet Jupiter, and thus the day of Thursday, represents astrological and magical principles such as joviality, joy, good fortune, happiness, luck, prosperity, success. | BeneficFridayVenusThe planet Venus represents astrological and magical concepts like the goddess of love, beauty, fertility, sensuality, harmony, peace and prosperity. | Benefic |
Saturday | Saturn | Saturn, the most malefic of the planets, represents astrological concepts such as the Devil, sin, death, the old man, old age, sickness, disease, hardship, misfortune, and karma. | Malefic |
While the planets are traditionally classified as malefic, benefic, or neutral, each planetary day can have positive and negative influences depends on planetary hours and the type of magic being cast. The following is a list of planetary hours and their effects on spells.

How To Calculate Planetary Hours
Calculating which of the traditional planets rules an hour of the day is simple.
From Wikipedia:
As each day is divided into 24 hours, the first hour of a day is ruled by the planet three places down in the Chaldean order from the planet ruling the first hour of the preceding day; i.e. a day with its first hour ruled by the Sun (“Sunday”) is followed by a day with its first hour ruled by the Moon (“Monday”), followed by Mars (“Tuesday”), Mercury (“Wednesday”), Jupiter (“Thursday”), Venus (“Friday”) and Saturn (“Saturday”), again followed by Sunday, yielding the familiar naming of the days of the week.
Calculating the favorable times to do something can become complicated, however. Luckily, magicians and witches before us left tables that we could easily reference!
The Magical Treatise Of Solomon or Hygromanteia by Ioannis Marathakis has the tables from multiple fragments of this old grimoire. The most fully preserved tables come from the Gennadianus manuscript. The tables below will mostly come from the Gennadianus except where it had missing information, which will be filled in from the Monacensis or Harleianus manuscripts.

Sunday Planetary Hours
First Hour | Sun | Giving a speech |
Second Hour | Venus | Gaining the love of a lord |
Third Hour | Mercury | For addressing lords |
Fourth Hour | Moon | For an encounter with a lord |
Fifth Hour | Saturn | For preventing an encounter with a lord |
Sixth Hour | Jupiter | For appearing before a lord |
Seventh Hour | Mars | Do nothing |
Eighth Hour | Sun | For anything regarding lords |
Ninth Hour | Venus | For anything regarding love |
Tenth Hour | Mercury | For writing a petition |
Eleventh Hour | Moon | For making a speech |
Twelfth Hour | Saturn | Do nothing |
Thirteenth Hour | Jupiter | For helping friends |
Fourteenth Hour | Mars | For preventing a speech |
Fifteenth Hour | Sun | For sending dreams to a king |
Sixteenth Hour | Venus | For sending dreams to a lady |
Seventeenth Hour | Mercury | Do nothing |
Eighteenth Hour | Moon | Work |
Nineteenth Hour | Saturn | Do nothing |
Twentieth Hour | Jupiter | Magic or talismans for the love of lords |
Twenty First Hour | Mars | For binding and restraining others |
Twenty Second Hour | Sun | For appearing before a king |
Twenty Third Hour | Venus | For appearing before a lady |
Twenty Fourth Hour | Mercury | Rest, do nothing |
Monday Planetary Hours
First Hour | Moon | Magic or talismans for buying and selling |
Second Hour | Saturn | For sickness |
Third Hour | Jupiter | Opening a workshop |
Fourth Hour | Mars | For restraining a workshop |
Fifth Hour | Sun | Magic or talismans for selling |
Sixth Hour | Venus | For dealings |
Seventh Hour | Mercury | For travel and journeys |
Eighth Hour | Moon | For buying |
Ninth Hour | Saturn | For binding and restraining |
Tenth Hour | Jupiter | Setting up a business |
Eleventh Hour | Mars | For preventing luck |
Twelfth Hour | Sun | Setting up a business |
Thirteenth Hour | Venus | Rest |
Fourteenth Hour | Mercury | For earning a living |
Fifteenth Hour | Moon | Work on your affairs |
Sixteenth Hour | Saturn | Do nothing |
Seventeenth Hour | Jupiter | Write and speak on your own behalf |
Eighteenth Hour | Mars | Binding, restraining, hindering |
Nineteenth Hour | Sun | Start any plan |
Twentieth Hour | Venus | Rest |
Twenty First Hour | Mercury | Move and stir affairs |
Twenty Second Hour | Moon | Reckon your plan |
Twenty Third Hour | Saturn | Do nothing |
Twenty Fourth Hour | Jupiter | Open your workshop |
Tuesday Planetary Hours
First Hour | Mars | Magic and talismans for war victory |
Second Hour | Sun | For taking loot |
Third Hour | Venus | For displaying military skills |
Fourth Hour | Mercury | For going to war |
Fifth Hour | Moon | For going and returning or nocturnal battles |
Sixth Hour | Saturn | Be careful, avoid war |
Seventh Hour | Jupiter | For appearing before enemies or giving thanks |
Eighth Hour | Mars | Ask for aid |
Ninth Hour | Sun | For conquering a whole castle and taking loot |
Tenth Hour | Venus | For doing mighty deeds |
Eleventh Hour | Mercury | For making excuses |
Twelfth Hour | Moon | Despoiling slain enemies |
Thirteenth Hour | Saturn | Be careful |
Fourteenth Hour | Jupiter | For discrediting someone |
Fifteenth Hour | Mars | Asking aid for your salvation |
Sixteenth Hour | Sun | Useless |
Seventeenth Hour | Venus | For rising in honor |
Eighteenth Hour | Mercury | For escaping or concealing |
Nineteenth Hour | Moon | For winning over an opponent |
Twentieth Hour | Saturn | For marching against enemies |
Twenty First Hour | Jupiter | For keeping concealed |
Twenty Second Hour | Mars | Pray to God |
Twenty Third Hour | Sun | For appearing at war |
Twenty Fourth Hour | Venus | Enviable hour |
Wednesday Planetary Hours
First Hour | Mercury | Magic or talismans for invisibility and education |
Second Hour | Moon | For resting and cheering |
Third Hour | Saturn | Useless hour |
Fourth Hour | Jupiter | For practicing alchemy |
Fifth Hour | Mars | For revealing secret things |
Sixth Hour | Sun | For killing someone and taking their treasure |
Seventh Hour | Venus | For dominating a woman |
Eighth Hour | Mercury | Magic or talismans regarding the decision of a tribunal |
Ninth Hour | Moon | For cohabiting with a woman |
Tenth Hour | Saturn | Be careful |
Eleventh Hour | Jupiter | Begin whatever you want |
Twelfth Hour | Mars | Do nothing |
Thirteenth Hour | Sun | Begin praising someone |
Fourteenth Hour | Venus | Begin praying |
Fifteenth Hour | Mercury | Magic and talismans concerning dreams |
Sixteenth Hour | Moon | For casting binding spells |
Seventeenth Hour | Saturn | Useless hour |
Eighteenth Hour | Jupiter | For harming someone |
Nineteenth Hour | Mars | Useful for everything and making retribution |
Twentieth Hour | Sun | Useful for everything |
Twenty First Hour | Venus | For sending dreams |
Twenty Second Hour | Mercury | For teaching |
Twenty Third Hour | Moon | Hour for success |
Twenty Fourth Hour | Saturn | Useless hour |
Thursday Planetary Hours
First Hour | Jupiter | For healing men or animals |
Second Hour | Mars | Useless hour |
Third Hour | Sun | For appearing before a king |
Fourth Hour | Venus | For appearing before a lady |
Fifth Hour | Mercury | For learning of rhetoric |
Sixth Hour | Moon | For changing residence |
Seventh Hour | Saturn | Be careful |
Eighth Hour | Jupiter | Good and blessed hour |
Ninth Hour | Mars | For causing jealousy |
Tenth Hour | Sun | Magic and talismans to benefit the body |
Eleventh Hour | Venus | For healing women |
Twelfth Hour | Mercury | For emigrating away |
Thirteenth Hour | Moon | For success |
Fourteenth Hour | Saturn | Useless hour |
Fifteenth Hour | Jupiter | Hour for every kind of healing |
Sixteenth Hour | Mars | For making a surgical incision |
Seventeenth Hour | Sun | For healing a king |
Eighteenth Hour | Venus | For healing a lady |
Nineteenth Hour | Mercury | For not being afraid of robbers |
Twentieth Hour | Moon | Joyous hour |
Twenty First Hour | Saturn | Useless hour |
Twenty Second Hour | Jupiter | Do whatever you want |
Twenty Third Hour | Mars | For causing a hassle |
Twenty Fourth Hour | Sun | Magic or talismans regarding tribunals or lords |
Friday Planetary Hours
First Hour | Venus | For love |
Second Hour | Mercury | For messages of matchmaking |
Third Hour | Moon | Good for everything |
Fourth Hour | Saturn | For causing obstacles of love |
Fifth Hour | Jupiter | For gifts and pleasant conversations |
Sixth Hour | Mars | For causing jealousy |
Seventh Hour | Sun | Good hour, beneficial for love |
Eighth Hour | Venus | For love |
Ninth Hour | Mercury | For messages concerning engagements |
Tenth Hour | Moon | Good hour for everything |
Eleventh Hour | Saturn | Useless hour |
Twelfth Hour | Jupiter | For making agreements |
Thirteenth Hour | Mars | For causing hatred |
Fourteenth Hour | Sun | For binding a couple with a spell |
Fifteenth Hour | Venus | For binding someone with love spells |
Sixteenth Hour | Mercury | For sending dreams of love |
Seventeenth Hour | Moon | Good hour for everything |
Eighteenth Hour | Saturn | For sending dreams of hatred |
Nineteenth Hour | Jupiter | Magic and talismans towards any beneficial aim |
Twentieth Hour | Mars | Do nothing |
Twenty First Hour | Sun | Good hour |
Twenty Second Hour | Venus | Hour for love |
Twenty Third Hour | Mercury | Hour for alchemy |
Twenty Fourth Hour | Moon | For binding and restraining love |
Saturday Planetary Hours
First Hour | Saturn | Magic or talismans for harming your enemy or sending illness |
Second Hour | Jupiter | For causing a shipwreck or harming someone |
Third Hour | Mars | For setting up enchantments |
Fourth Hour | Sun | For making lords fight one another |
Fifth Hour | Venus | For causing hatred between a couple |
Sixth Hour | Mercury | For finding treasure |
Seventh Hour | Moon | For speaking with demons |
Eighth Hour | Saturn | For performing basin divination |
Ninth Hour | Jupiter | For performing skull divination |
Tenth Hour | Mars | For causing peoples to plunge into the sea |
Eleventh Hour | Sun | For making litigants mad at one another |
Twelfth Hour | Venus | For causing fear and enmity |
Thirteenth Hour | Mercury | Beneficial for discovering secrets |
Fourteenth Hour | Moon | For seeing dead people |
Fifteenth Hour | Saturn | For seeing visions by water divination |
Sixteenth Hour | Jupiter | Useful for teaching |
Seventeenth Hour | Mars | Very malign hour |
Eighteenth Hour | Sun | Useless hour |
Nineteenth Hour | Venus | For gaining money in dice |
Twentieth Hour | Mercury | For restraining every good thing |
Twenty First Hour | Moon | Hour without virtue |
Twenty Second Hour | Saturn | For causing visions |
Twenty Third Hour | Jupiter | Useful for profit |
Twenty Fourth Hour | Mars | Hour for hassle and enmity |

These are just the hours as they were used by the authors of the Hygromanteia’s fragments, and other uses can be assumed based on basic mixing of correspondences. By figuring out the correspondences of the days, planets, and numerology, you can come up with your own system of planetary hours.
With your own personalized tables of favorable times, you can plan out future events and do a basic analysis of events to make your magic stronger and manifest luck and abundance in your life.
A basic understanding of planetary hours and days can help you deep dive into more complex forms of magic or make your spells even more effective!
During the full moon, we call upon Hekate to assist us in clearing our past, releasing our fears, and opening ourselves to new possibilities. We ask her to help us gain clarity in our lives, to help us transform our inner worlds, and to allow us to move forward with courage and confidence.
It is said that Hekate helps us to overcome obstacles and challenges that stand in our way, and to achieve our goals. In addition to being a benevolent Goddess, she is also a fierce warrior. When we summon her, we invite her to help us take charge of our lives, to lead us into battle, and to fight for justice.
I am an eclectic witch - I've been practicing since 1974. As a student of the occult, working with astrology, tarot cards, runes, and numerology, I found that this was a very comprehensive and well written text on working with Hekate during the full moon. Highly recommended. - Gail Sager
Great read - a must have for anyone interested in working with the Goddess during the full moon! Highly recommended! - Luis Meyer