The land accelerates. According to the specialized site Time and Datewhich is based on data from ISS (International Service of Earth’s Rotation and Reference Systems), our planet should experience a subtle acceleration of its rotation this Tuesday, July 22.
Usually, a day corresponds to a complete rotation of the earth on itself, ie 24 hours, or 86,400 seconds. However, this duration is not frozen and can vary slightly according to certain factors, in particular The influence of the moon. When it is located far from the terrestrial equator, its gravitational impact on the planet is modified, which can help to accelerate the rotation of the earth.
Since 2020, the earth has tended to turn faster and faster. On July 5, 2024, she reached a record speed with a shorter day of 1.66 millisecond. Similar days could reproduce in 2025, especially around July 9, 22 and August 5. According to Irs forecasts, Tuesday July 22 will be shortcut of 1.34 millisecond.
Clocks … atomic
To detect these tiny variations, scientists rely on atomic clocks, introduced in the 1950s. These instruments make it possible to measure what is called the “duration of the day” by comparing the real time of terrestrial rotation with 86,400 seconds usual. A tiny difference on a human scale, since it is a millisecond (0.001 second), many faster than a blinking.
But the origin of this acceleration remains unknown. “No one expected such a phenomenon,” says Leonid Zotov, a specialist in terrestrial rotation at the Moscow State University in Times and Date. Climate or oceanic models currently used are not enough to explain this change.
