Why does time pass faster on Mars than on Earth?

(Dan Tri) - Clocks on Mars run 477 microseconds faster each day due to the influence of relativity. This small deviation could have a major impact on future navigation and communication systems.

Important discovery

Scientists at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have just announced a remarkable discovery: time on Mars passes an average of 477 microseconds per day faster than on Earth.

This discrepancy, though very small, is explained based on the effects of Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity and has key implications for future interplanetary navigation and communication systems.

Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity complicates the calculation of interplanetary time (Photo: Getty).

According to the research team, the main reason for this difference is that gravity on Mars is about 5 times weaker than on Earth.

The weaker gravity reduces gravitational time dilation, causing clocks on Mars to run faster. Additionally, Mars' elliptical orbit around the Sun has a greater eccentricity than Earth's.

As Mars gets closer to the Sun, its velocity increases, changing the rate of velocity time dilation. Conversely, as it gets farther away, its velocity decreases and the relative influence changes. This constant fluctuation causes the rate of time on Mars to not be constant but to change with position in the orbit.

The problem is further complicated when taking into account the simultaneous effects of the gravitational forces from the Sun, Earth, and Moon on time on Mars.

Analyzing the interactions between these four bodies (the Sun, Earth, Moon, and Mars) is a major challenge, far beyond the classical three-body problem.

The combination of these factors results in an average difference of 477 microseconds per day, with a possible variation of up to 226 microseconds depending on Mars' position in its orbit.

Implications for the interplanetary future

For future inhabitants of Mars, a second would still pass as normal because all clocks on the planet are subject to the same gravitational and velocity effects.

However, to an observer on Earth, a second on Mars will pass a fraction of a second faster than the second measured by a clock on Earth. This is a clear demonstration of the time difference between two reference frames subject to different gravitational and velocity effects.

As humanity moves closer to its goal of settling beyond Earth, precise timing will become increasingly important (Photo: Space).

This timing error, though small, could cause major problems for the highly precise navigation and communication systems that humans plan to develop on Mars.

For example, GPS-like systems on Earth require time synchronization down to a fraction of a microsecond. Without taking into account the time difference between the two planets, positioning signals can become misaligned, leading to large errors in navigation or data transmission.

In addition, time synchronization also needs to consider the light signal transmission time between the two planets to ensure the system operates stably and accurately.

This research adds an important layer of understanding about how General Relativity works in a multi-planet environment, which is essential as humanity moves closer to its goals of habitation, building infrastructure, or establishing communication networks beyond Earth.

The team emphasizes that this is an ideal time to study these issues, as Moon and Mars missions are progressing rapidly.

An accurate understanding of time will be a key foundation for the vision of expanding human activity throughout the Solar System.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/khoa-hoc/vi-sao-thoi-gian-tren-sao-hoa-troi-nhanh-hon-trai-dat-20251203094951824.htm