by Prof. Will Lestrange » Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:12 am
In most of the world, "What time is it?" is a question that has a relatively straightforward answer. For example, as I type this in the US state of Virginia, it is a few minutes after 1 AM. Meanwhile, at HOL, it is therefore 6 AM HOL time. However, because Antarctica contains every latitude meridian (all of which intersect at the South Pole, which is in Antarctica), using the traditional definitions of time zones mean that in certain parts of Antarctica, you would need to change your clock every few steps you want.
So the question of keeping time in Antarctica is less straightforward than elsewhere in the world, and even may have an ambiguous answer depending on who you ask, even in the same location. There are several ways to answer the question:
-Research stations can use the time zone of their nearest supply base (for example, the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is supplied by New Zealand and therefore uses New Zealand time, which is 12 or 13 hours ahead of UTC and therefore 11-13 hours ahead of HOL.)
-Time zones can be based on territorial claims (e.g. the northernmost part of Antarctica, Palmer Land, is claimed by a few countries including Argentia; its time zone is the same as Argentina's, 3 hours behind UTC so 3-4 hours behind HOL).
-You can simply default to UTC (which is either the same as, or one hour behind, HOL time depending on if the United Kingdom is on winter time or summer time), as many people do in the southern reaches of Antarctica.
-You can even just use whatever time zone was kept at the last place you were in before landing in Antarctica (e.g. if you were in New Zealand, you can keep on using New Zealand time in Antarctica)!
This shows how even a simple question can have a counterintuitively difficult answer that far south...
In most of the world, "What time is it?" is a question that has a relatively straightforward answer. For example, as I type this in the US state of Virginia, it is a few minutes after 1 AM. Meanwhile, at HOL, it is therefore 6 AM HOL time. However, because Antarctica contains every latitude meridian (all of which intersect at the South Pole, which is in Antarctica), using the traditional definitions of time zones mean that in certain parts of Antarctica, you would need to change your clock every few steps you want.
So the question of keeping time in Antarctica is less straightforward than elsewhere in the world, and even may have an ambiguous answer depending on who you ask, even in the same location. There are several ways to answer the question:
-Research stations can use the time zone of their nearest supply base (for example, the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is supplied by New Zealand and therefore uses New Zealand time, which is 12 or 13 hours ahead of UTC and therefore 11-13 hours ahead of HOL.)
-Time zones can be based on territorial claims (e.g. the northernmost part of Antarctica, Palmer Land, is claimed by a few countries including Argentia; its time zone is the same as Argentina's, 3 hours behind UTC so 3-4 hours behind HOL).
-You can simply default to UTC (which is either the same as, or one hour behind, HOL time depending on if the United Kingdom is on winter time or summer time), as many people do in the southern reaches of Antarctica.
-You can even just use whatever time zone was kept at the last place you were in before landing in Antarctica (e.g. if you were in New Zealand, you can keep on using New Zealand time in Antarctica)!
This shows how even a simple question can have a counterintuitively difficult answer that far south...