Solar Time

Solar Time is a unique clock software that uses the astronomical position of the Sun, as seen by an observer on earth, to provide accurate timekeeping. The software calculates the beginning of each hour and separates day hours from night hours, based on sunrise, sunset, and the maximum altitude of the Sun. To perform these calculations, it requires the input of the observer's latitude and longitude, as well as taking into account the effect of the seasons, which results in variable-length hours known as temporal or unequal hours.

But Solar Time goes beyond just natural timekeeping by also incorporating the ancient tradition of the 'Planetary Rulers'. This system assigns each day and various parts of the day to one of the seven traditional naked eye planets, based on the Chaldean order of ruling which is the order of speed of the planets with respect to the earth: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, and Moon. For instance, Saturday is the day of Saturn and its first hour is ruled by Saturn while the second hour is ruled by Jupiter, and so on.

While this kind of timekeeping is extremely complex, Solar Time simplifies it for modern use. The software provides a clock synchronized with nature and has the advantage over mechanical clocks and 'Civil Time' of respecting the real noon, sunrise, and sunset. This software allows us to re-embrace the possibility of traditional, natural timekeeping on our computers.