Time Standard for the Moon: 10 April 2024

The US White House has recently asked NASA to develop a standardized time system for the Moon.

Why in News
- The US White House has recently asked NASA to develop a standardized time system for the Moon.
Why Establish a Time Standard for the Moon?
- Diverse Time Experience: Time behaves differently on the Moon compared to Earth due to the effects of gravity, as explained by Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity.
- Relativity Impact: Due to gravity’s influence, time flows slightly faster on the Moon than on Earth, leading to the necessity for a specific time standard.
- Incompatibility with UTC: The Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) used on Earth cannot accurately measure time on the Moon due to this relativistic difference.
Earth’s Time Standard:
- Coordinated Universal Time (UTC): Most clocks and time zones worldwide are based on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), which is established by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Paris, France.
- Local Time Calculation: Countries determine their local time by adjusting UTC based on their position relative to the prime meridian (0 degrees longitude), also known as the Greenwich meridian.
- Time Zone Differences: Countries to the west of the Greenwich meridian subtract hours from UTC, while those to the east add hours. This adjustment accounts for Earth’s rotation and the division of its surface into time zones.