NASA to create a new time zone for the moon by 2026

[admin]

The moon's lower gravity means that time runs slower on its surface. With more moon missions planned, NASA has now been tasked by the White House to create a lunar time zone by 2026.

NASA to create a new time zone for the moon by 2026 : Read more

 

[cecilia fx]

That's interesting.

also, we really should stop this twice a year changing the time here on earth. it's annoying

 

[mover0]

IIRC, all things being equal, lower gravity would mean less time-dilation, not more. Thus,
if clocks on the moon run slower it must be due to higher orbital velocity, not a
difference in gravity.

 

[Diverious]

Okay, let's take a stab at designing a lunar time zone system that accounts for the time dilation effects on the moon:

Reference Time:

We'll use Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) as the reference time standard, aligning the lunar time zones with the primary timekeeping system used on Earth.

Time Dilation Factor:

Based on the known time dilation effects, 1 second on the lunar surface is equivalent to approximately 1.0000000003 seconds on Earth.
We'll incorporate this factor into the lunar time system to ensure synchronization with UTC.

Lunar Time Zones:

Rather than using the same 24-hour time zones as Earth, we'll define 16 one-hour lunar time zones on the moon.
These will be labeled LTZ-1 through LTZ-16, with LTZ-1 being the westernmost time zone and LTZ-16 being the easternmost.

Time Zone Boundaries:

The lunar time zone boundaries will be defined by longitude, with each zone spanning 22.5 degrees of longitude (360 degrees / 16 zones).
This aligns the zones with the cardinal directions and major lunar features/settlements.

Lunar Calendar:

In addition to the lunar time zones, we'll also use a lunar calendar system.
This will be based on the moon's sidereal period of approximately 27.32 days.
Each lunar month will have 27 days, with an extra "leap day" added periodically to keep the calendar aligned with the lunar cycle.

So in summary, the key elements of the lunar time system would be:

Reference Time: UTC
Time Dilation Factor: 1 LT second = 1.0000000003 UT seconds
Time Zones: 16 one-hour zones (LTZ-1 to LTZ-16)
Time Zone Boundaries: 22.5 degrees longitude each
Lunar Calendar: 27-day months, with periodic leap days

This provides a framework for a lunar timekeeping system that accounts for the unique conditions on the moon, while still maintaining alignment with Earth's primary time standard.