What is Rahu Kaal?
Rahu Kaal (also spelt Rahu Kalam or Rahukaal) is a daily window of roughly 90 minutes ruled by the shadow-planet Rahu, traditionally avoided for starting anything important. The daytime from sunrise to sunset is split into eight equal parts, and a different part becomes Rahu Kaal on each weekday — so the timing is never fixed, and it depends on your exact local sunrise and sunset.
That is why a generic table is often wrong for your city. Astronaad computes the real sunrise and sunset for Chicago from the Sun’s actual position, so today’s Rahu Kaal of 06:25 PM–08:14 PM is accurate to the minute for your location.
What to avoid — and the better time
People traditionally avoid beginning journeys, signing agreements, buying a vehicle or home, weddings and new ventures during Rahu Kaal. Routine, already-running work is considered unaffected. When a good beginning is needed, the auspicious Abhijit Muhurat around midday is preferred — today in Chicago that is 12:27 PM–01:26 PM.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Rahu Kaal time today in Chicago?
- Today (26 July 2026), Rahu Kaal in Chicago runs from 06:25 PM to 08:14 PM. This window shifts every day because it is tied to the weekday and to the local sunrise and sunset.
- What is Rahu Kaal?
- Rahu Kaal is a roughly 90-minute period each day, ruled by the shadow-planet Rahu, traditionally considered inauspicious for starting anything important — travel, a purchase, signing, or any new venture. The daytime (sunrise to sunset) is divided into eight equal parts and a different part is Rahu Kaal on each weekday.
- How is Rahu Kaal calculated for Chicago?
- We compute the exact sunrise and sunset for Chicago (41.88°, -87.63°) from the real position of the Sun, divide the day into eight equal parts, and take the part assigned to today's weekday. Today's Rahu Kaal in Chicago is 06:25 PM–08:14 PM.
- What should be avoided during Rahu Kaal?
- Traditionally one avoids beginning important or auspicious activities — journeys, signing agreements, buying vehicles or property, weddings, or launching a venture. Ongoing routine work is considered unaffected. If a task is unavoidable, many start it just before the window in the auspicious Abhijit Muhurat instead.
- What is the auspicious time today in Chicago?
- Abhijit Muhurat — the auspicious midday window — is 12:27 PM to 01:26 PM in Chicago today, favourable for almost any good beginning.