You\u2019re probably thinking that it\u2019s about time we get off this subject of time \u2014 so here\u2019s one last one for a while\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Coincidentally, this question came up the other day around the time of the full moon \u2014 the question was what time is it on the Moon?\u00a0
We know that here on Earth, our day is divided into 24 hours \u2014 based on a complete rotation around the Sun. But in space, things change and we use Coordinated Universal Time (UTC.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are many ways to define the \u201ctime\u201d at a particular location. Here on Earth our \u2018regular\u2019 system (\u201csolar time\u201d) is defined by the motion of the Sun in the sky, although we usually keep track of time with an atomic clock. This means that the local time depends on where you are on Earth and we get around this complication by having many different time zones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, we could also define a similar time system based on the motion of the Sun as seen from the Moon. Such a system exists (Lunar Standard Time) but it turns out to be not much more than an interesting exercise in physics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is another time that is more useful \u2014 a definition of time that doesn\u2019t vary with location. This is called Universal Time (UT) and is a modern version of Greenwich Mean Time. It is the same everywhere in the Universe. So fundamentally, and ignoring the complications of Einstein\u2019s Special Relativity, it\u2019s the same time on the Moon as it is here on Earth.
\u2014 30 \u2014<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You\u2019re probably thinking that it\u2019s about time we get off this subject of time \u2014 so here\u2019s one last one for a while\u2026. Coincidentally, this question came up the other day around the time of the full moon \u2014 the … Continue reading