Washington — Lunar time passes a little faster. Now, An international group of astronomers has joined calls to give the Moon its own clock so that future space missions can can control the minutes that pass on the celestial body.
The International Astronomical Union voted Thursday to encourage space organizations around the world to collaborate on a timekeeping standard for the moon, where a day lasts 29.5 Earth days.
“That is the crux of our resolution: to work together to establish this standard time.“said Susan Stewart of the United States Naval Observatoryat the group’s conference this week in Cape Town, South Africa. Stewart helped propose the resolution.
The Moon has less gravity than Earth, so time passes about 58.7 microseconds faster each day. As more countries and companies set their sights on future lunar missions, astronomers want to ensure perfect synchronicity with a unified clockCurrently, a lunar mission operates on the time of the country operating the spacecraft.
The European Space Agency last year promoted the creation of a lunar clock. And earlier this year, the White House ordered the POT and other agencies to work on an idea by the end of the year and a definitive plan by the end of 2026.
According to Bijunath Patla, a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technologyastronomers are still in the early days of determining exactly how lunar time will be marked.
“I think the community has realized that this needs to be done.“Patla said. “And this is the beginning.”