Physicists from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have made a breakthrough in space measurements, accurately calculating for the first time the difference in time between Earth and Mars. This discovery will be a crucial foundation for future NASA missions and the development of interplanetary navigation technologies.
According to a study published in The Astronomical Journal, scientists have determined that Martian clocks run, on average, 477 microseconds faster than Earth clocks over the course of a day. However, this difference is not constant – it varies depending on the orbital characteristics of Mars and the gravitational influences of other planets.
Physicists Neil Ashby and Bijunath Patla explain that the key factor is the weaker gravity of Mars. The gravitational force on the surface of the Red Planet is approximately 20% that of Earth. In strong gravitational fields—like on Earth—time flows more slowly, while in weak ones it flows more quickly.
Mars moves in an elongated elliptical orbit, causing its rotation around the Sun to be uneven. As a result, the rate of Martian clocks can vary by up to 226 microseconds per day.
A precise understanding of Martian time could play a key role in the development of modern interplanetary communication systems. Currently, signals between Earth and Mars take between 4 and 24 minutes—a significant delay. Synchronizing time between planets could significantly reduce this difference and improve the orientation of spacecraft.
As a reminder, scientists have obtained evidence for the first time of the existence of dark matter.
To be continued…
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