What Time is It on Mars? NIST Physicists Have the Answer
hubie writes:
Ask someone on Earth for the time and they can give you an exact answer, thanks to our planet's intricate timekeeping system, built with atomic clocks, GPS satellites and high-speed telecommunications networks.
However, Einstein showed us that clocks don't tick at the same rate across the universe. Clocks will run slightly faster or slower depending on the strength of gravity in their environment, making it tricky to synchronize our watches here on Earth, let alone across the vast solar system. If humans want to establish a long-term presence on the red planet, scientists need to know: What time is it on Mars?
Physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have calculated a precise answer for the first time. On average, clocks on Mars will tick 477 microseconds (millionths of a second) faster than on Earth per day. However, Mars' eccentric orbit and the gravity from its celestial neighbors can increase or decrease this amount by as much as 226 microseconds a day over the course of the Martian year. These findings, just published in The Astronomical Journal, follow a 2024 paper in which NIST physicists developed a plan for precise timekeeping on the Moon.
Knowing how clocks will tick on Mars is a steppingstone for future space missions, said NIST physicist Bijunath Patla. As NASA plans Mars exploration missions, understanding time on our planetary neighbor will help synchronize navigation and communication across our solar system.
"The time is just right for the Moon and Mars," Patla said. "This is the closest we have been to realizing the science fiction vision of expanding across the solar system."
Journal Reference: Neil Ashby and Bijunath R. Patla 2026 AJ 171 2 DOI 10.3847/1538-3881/ae0c16
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