The Hour of Mercury — Planetary Hours
The hour of Mercury is the planetary hour associated with communication, learning, trade, and travel. It favors writing, negotiations, studying, and technology — Mercury rules the first hour after sunrise every Wednesday and returns every seventh hour in the Chaldean order.
What the Mercury hour is good for
- Sending an important email, letter, or message
- Installing and learning a new tool or computer program
- Writing, editing, studying, and exams
- Negotiations, contracts, and commerce
- Short trips and travel planning
Mercury can be a trickster when you are mentally fogged or emotionally upset — double-check details before you hit send.
Today's Mercury hours
Times below are for New York today — planetary hours depend on local sunrise and sunset, so use the planetary hours calculator or your city page for your exact local times.
- 08:20 – 09:30 (3rd day hour)
- 16:31 – 17:41 (10th day hour)
- 23:21 – 00:11 (5th night hour)
- 05:11 – 06:01 (12th night hour)
Mercury correspondences
- Day: Wednesday — Mercury rules the first hour after sunrise
- Element: Air
- Zodiac signs: Gemini and Virgo
- Colors: Orange
- Keywords: communication, thinking, trade
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hour of Mercury good for?
The hour of Mercury is associated with communication, thinking, trade. Sending an important email, letter, or message, installing and learning a new tool or computer program, and similar activities are traditionally favored in this hour.
When does the hour of Mercury occur?
Mercury rules the first planetary hour after sunrise every Wednesday, and returns every seventh hour after that in the Chaldean order. In practice this means Mercury rules three or four of the 24 planetary hours on any given day, at times that shift with local sunrise and sunset.
Which day, element, and zodiac signs are associated with Mercury?
Mercury rules Wednesday, is associated with the element of Air, and governs Gemini and Virgo in traditional astrology. Its traditional colors are Orange.
Is there anything to avoid in the hour of Mercury?
Mercury can be a trickster when you are mentally fogged or emotionally upset — double-check details before you hit send.