Time passes faster on the Moon than on Earth.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Time on the Moon runs 56 microseconds faster than on Earth. This could potentially cause navigation errors of up to 17 km per day.

The time difference between Earth and the Moon is crucial for space missions requiring high precision (Image: Getty).

Using Einstein's theory of general relativity, physicists discovered that time on the Moon runs 56 microseconds faster than on Earth. This means that, on average, every 100,000 days (equivalent to 274 years), a person living on the Moon will age 5.6 seconds faster than a person living on Earth.

According to theoretical physicist Bijunath Patla of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the US, this happens because the Moon's movement relative to our own movement causes the clock to run slower than the Earth's standard.

However, the Moon's weaker gravitational pull causes the clock to run faster. "These are two conflicting effects, resulting in a difference of about 56 microseconds per day," Patla said.

Although a difference of 56 microseconds is incredibly small by human standards, it is crucial for space missions requiring high precision, as well as for ensuring communication between Earth and the Moon.

"When it comes to navigation, a delay of 56 microseconds in a day between a clock on the Moon and one on Earth is a huge difference," shared Cheryl Gramling, a systems engineer at NASA.

It will be many years or decades before the Moon has enough people and robots to require the level of precision of this measurement. Nevertheless, scientists and engineers quickly recognized the importance of establishing a standard lunar time zone.

It is known that accurate positioning at present relies on time synchronization, which includes the combined use of radio waves, traveling at the speed of light.

Gramling noted that light travels a distance of 30 cm in 1 nanosecond (0.001 microsecond). This is an extremely short period of time by human standards.

Therefore, if we disregard the 56 microsecond difference, we could potentially cause positioning errors of up to 17 km per day.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/khoa-hoc-cong-nghe/thoi-gian-tren-mat-trang-troi-qua-nhanh-hon-o-trai-dat-20241202063708705.htm