GMT = Greenwich Mean Time (= UTC + 0 hour).Time Zones and Abbreviations (Eastern Hemisphere) IDLW = International Day Line West (= UTC - 12 hours).SST = Samoa Standard Time (= UTC - 11 hours).HST = Hawaiian Standard Time (= UTC - 10 hours).AKST = Alaskan Standard Time (= UTC - 9 hours).PST = Pacific Standard Time (= UTC - 8 hours).MST = Mountain Standard Time (= UTC - 7 hours).CST = Central Standard Time (= UTC - 6 hours).EST = Eastern Standard Time (= UTC - 5 hours).AST = Atlantic Standard Time (= UTC - 4 hours).GST = South Georgia Time (= UTC - 2 hours).Time Zones and Abbreviations (Western Hemisphere) It includes official time zone abbreviations and offsets from UTC. The most important characteristic of a time zone is its offset from UTC.īelow is a list of time zones around the world. Many time zones have different names in different countries. Moscow Standard Time (MSK) = UTC + 3 hours If Daylight Saving Time is in effect in a particular time zone, one hour must be ADDED to the standard time to convert it to Daylight Saving Time.įor countries in Europe, the conversion from UTC to local time is as follows.Ĭentral European Time (CET) = UTC + 1 hoursĮastern European Time (EET) = UTC + 2 hours Pacific Standard Time (PST) = UTC - 8 hours Mountain Standard Time (MST) = UTC - 7 hours Most of the time zones on land are offset from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) by a whole number of hours.įor example, in North America the following time zones are observed along with their offsets from UTC.Ītlantic Standard Time (AST) = UTC - 4 hoursĮastern Standard Time (EST) = UTC - 5 hoursĬentral Standard Time (CST) = UTC - 6 hours Time zones tend to follow the boundaries of countries and their subdivisions instead of strictly following longitude because of commercial convenience. It is typically chosen to approximate mean solar time for a region. To remain within 0.9 seconds of Universal Time (UT1).Ī time zone is a designated area of the globe that observes a uniform standard time for legal, commercial and social purposes. While Universal Time (UT1) is tied directly to Earth's rotation, Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is based an atomic timescale and adjusted to approximate Universal Time (UT1) to 0.9 seconds or less.Īs Earth's rotation gradually slows down, Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) must be adjusted with an occasional intercalary leap second It is now determined more accurately by measurements of distant quasars using long baseline interferometry. While Universal Time (UT1) was originally determined by measuring Earth's rotation with respect to the Sun, However, the modern mean solar day is now slightly longer due to this gradual slowdown. The length of the second was originally determined from observations of the Moon between 17. The rotation of the Earth is gradually slowing due to the tidal acceleration of the the Moon. International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) The rotation of the Earth and UT1 are monitored by the Universal Time (UT1) is the modern time standard for mean solar time and is based on Earth's rotation on its axis. Throughout the year rather than, as it actually does, at a slightly varying apparent speed that depends on the seasons. Mean solar time, kept by most clocks and watches, is the solar time that would be measured by observation if the Sun traveled at a uniform apparent speed Solar time is time based on Earth’s rotation relative to the Sun.Īpparent solar time is that measured by direct observation of the Sun or by a sundial. UTC is the time used by GPSs and is the standard reference for Time Zones around the world.įor instance, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is set equal to UTC, while other time zones are offsets from UTC by up to ± 14 hours. Occasionally, a "leap second" is added to UTC in order keep it in sync with UT1 (which varies due to Earth's rotation). It is synchronized and adjusted to stay within 0.9 seconds of Universal Time (UT1). Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is based on atomic time ( International Atomic Time).
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