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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
July 22 will be the second-shortest day of the year, scientists say
Tuesday, July 22 will be the second-shortest day of the year, as Earth completes a full rotation in less time than usual. The planet on Tuesday will experience a shorter rotation than the typical 24 hours, though not by much: 1.34 milliseconds less than usual, according to MORE: Climate change is altering the length of days on Earth, according to new research Typically, we think of the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere as Dec. 21 or 22, which coincides with the winter solstice – July 21 or 22 in the Southern Hemisphere – which is the point at which the hemisphere is tilted farthest away from the sun. In those instances, however, it's only the number of hours of daylight that are affected, and not the length of time it takes for the Earth to make a full rotation on its axis. The 1.34-millisecond discrepancy in Tuesday's length is explained by differences in the gravitational pull between the Earth and the moon, which causes the Earth to spin more quickly, according to the Lunar and Planetary Institute. In recent years, Earth has broken its own speed records several times, including on July 5, 2024 – the shortest day ever measured, when the planet's full rotation was completed 1.66 milliseconds faster than usual, according to PHOTO: Spinning Globe This year, July 10 was measured as the shortest day of the year, with a full rotation occurring 1.36 milliseconds faster than normal. Aug. 5 is expected to be the third-shortest day of the year, projected to be 1.25 milliseconds shorter than usual. Earth completes one full rotation on its axis in 24 hours, or about 86,400 seconds, plus or minus a millisecond or so, according to Before 2020, Earth's shortest length of day was just 1.05 milliseconds shorter than usual. MORE: What to know about the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year If current trends continue, a full second may need to be subtracted from atomic clocks in the near future to accommodate for a "negative leap second," according to The system of leap seconds was introduced in the 1970s, according to Time and Date. While there have been dozens of positive leap seconds, in which a second was added, there has never been a negative leap second. The International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service, which monitor's the Earth's rotation, also determines whether to add or subtract a second. In its early days – about 4.5 billion years ago – Earth was spinning at a much faster rate, according to the Lunar and Planetary Institute. A full rotation only lasted between three and six hours. MORE: Melting polar ice is changing the Earth's rotation and affecting how we measure time: Study During the mid-Proterozoic period – between 2.5 billion years ago and 543 million years ago – the Earth had slowed such that a day lasted about 19 hours, according to a 2023 study published in Nature Geoscience. Since then, the length of an Earth day has slowed to its present 24 hours due to the fact that the moon's gravitational pull "steals" some of energy Earth uses to spin, in addition to causing tidal friction, according to the Institute. Additionally, climate change is causing days on Earth to become longer due to the melting of ice at the poles, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. As the poles melt, the redistribution of mass from the resulting sea-level rise also is increasing the length of a day, the researchers found.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Is today the shortest day of the year? What it means for Arizona
If it feels like today is going by a bit faster than yesterday, that's because it is. The Earth is spinning a tiny bit faster. Earth completed its most recent rotation 1.34 milliseconds faster than 24 hours. Scientists attribute this to Earth's 'wobbles,' changes in core motion and human activity. Has it happened before? Yes. Earth's spin isn't perfectly steady, and it's had other quick days, especially in recent years. So, if you felt like July 22 is moving faster than usual, you're not crazy, just caught in a planetary time crunch. Good news: You didn't age any faster. Here's what to know about the Earth's rotation and why July 22 is the shortest day. Will Earth spin faster on July 22nd? Yes. Earth is expected to spin slightly faster on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. July 22 could end up being the shortest of 2025, with Earth's rotation shaving off about 1.34 milliseconds from the usual 86,400 seconds. This isn't something you'll feel or notice, but it's enough to get atomic clock experts talking. Is July 22, 2025 the shortest day? Yes, in terms of how fast Earth spins. On July 22, scientists expect our planet to complete a full rotation in 1.34 milliseconds less than the standard 24 hours, making it one of the shortest days ever recorded by atomic clocks. But it's not the shortest day in terms of daylight. That title always goes to the winter solstice, when the Northern Hemisphere tilts farthest from the sun. In 2025, this occurs on Sunday, Dec. 21, marking the shortest day of the year with the least amount of sunlight. So, July 22 is short by milliseconds. Dec. 21 is short by sunlight. Depends on how you measure your days. Looking for the best things to do in Arizona? Sign up for our newsletter. Why is the Earth suddenly spinning faster? The moon's position, when it's farthest from the Earth's equator, subtly tweaks Earth's spin with its gravitational pull, according to Time and Date. The last time we had a similar day like this was July 9, 2025, and it will happen again on Aug. 5, 2025. While the gain is microscopic, precision matters for global timekeeping systems like GPS and internet servers, which rely on atomic clocks down to the nanosecond. How much daylight do we lose each day after June 21? After the summer solstice on June 21, we lose only a few seconds to about 30 seconds of daylight per day. By late July and August, the loss increases to one to two minutes per day, depending on your location. By September, it can be two to three minutes per day in places like Arizona, according to Almanac. So, it's a gradual fade at first, but by the end of summer, you'll notice the earlier sunsets creeping in. Got a story you want to share? Reach out at Follow @tiffsario on Instagram. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Is today the shortest day ever? Here's what's happening
Forbes
4 days ago
- Science
- Forbes
See A Crescent Moon Embrace Venus And Jupiter: The Night Sky This Week
The 4-day-old waxing crescent Moon. (Photo by: Alan Dyer/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty ... More Images) Each Monday, I pick out North America's celestial highlights for the week ahead (which also apply to mid-northern latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere). Check my main feed for more in-depth articles on stargazing, astronomy, eclipses and more. The Night Sky This Week: July 21–27, 2025 As July enters its final stretch, the pre-dawn and post-sunset sky steals the spotlight with an exquisite series of moon-planet encounters. In the early hours of the first part of the week, a waning crescent moon in the east will first meet Venus and Aldebaran, then Jupiter, all the while displaying delicate "Earthshine" light. As it darts in, then out of the sun's glare, it will reappear in the west and, by week's end, join Mars. Here's everything you need to know about stargazing and astronomy this week: Monday, July 21: A Triangle Of Moon, Venus And Aldebaran Monday, July 21: A Triangle Of Moon, Venus And Aldebaran Wake early this morning — about 45 minutes before sunrise — and look east to witness a panorama of a 15%-lit waning crescent moon above the eastern horizon. Look for a triangle with the moon top, Venus beneath and the bright orange star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus to the side. Earthshine — the faint glow caused by sunlight reflecting off Earth and onto the lunar surface — will add a magical touch to the view. Above will be the sparkling Pleiades star cluster. Tuesday, July 22: A Chain Of Moon, Venus And Aldebaran Tuesday, July 22: A Chain Of Moon, Venus And Aldebaran This morning's sky offers one of the richest pre-dawn lineups of the season. A slender 7%-lit crescent moon will hang low in the east, with brilliant Venus to its right, Aldebaran beyond, and the glittering Pleiades cluster above. Wednesday, July 23: Crescent Moon And Jupiter Wednesday, July 23: Crescent Moon And Jupiter Today marks the final morning to glimpse the moon before it enters its new phase. Just 3%-lit, the razor-thin crescent would typically be challenging to spot, but since it will be just five degrees to the left of Jupiter close to the east-northeast, it should be easy pickings in the 45 minutes before sunrise, though a flat, unobstructed horizon and a clear sky will be key. Friday, July 25: A Waxing Crescent Moon Friday, July 25: A Waxing Crescent Moon With the new moon yesterday, the scene is set for some much more convenient post-sunset sights of our natural satellite at its most delicate. Scan the western horizon 30 minutes after sunset for a 2%-lit waxing crescent moon. A cloudless view and possibly binoculars will be needed to spot it. Saturday, July 26: Waxing Crescent Moon And Regulus Saturday, July 26: Waxing Crescent Moon And Regulus Tonight's crescent moon, now 6%-lit, will be easier to spot and be joined by Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo. Look west about 45 minutes after sunset to find the moon sitting just two degrees to the left of Regulus. A hot, blue-white star roughly 79 light-years away, Regulus is one of four royal stars of ancient Persia. Sunday, July 27: Waxing Crescent Moon And Mars Sunday, July 27: Waxing Crescent Moon And Mars With the crescent moon now 11% lit, it will be higher in the western sky after sunset than it was last night. Just to its upper left will shine Mars, past its best but still unmistakable. The mostly unlit face of the moon will be faintly illuminated by Earthshine, the ghostly glow on the moon's night side. Though visible to the naked eye, binoculars reveal it in detail, especially during crescent phases. The times and dates given apply to mid-northern latitudes. For the most accurate location-specific information, consult online planetariums like Stellarium. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Winter Is Coming for Oil — And Not in a Positive Way
The oil market is deceptively calm. Below the apparent tranquility lies an underappreciated transformation that has slowly reshaped the market over the last 25 years — because the arrival of China and India as big consumers hasn't just given an enormous boost to demand, it's also altered the market's seasonality. And that matters a lot this year. Until recently, global oil demand peaked every year with the arrival of the Northern Hemisphere's winter. As temperatures dropped from October onward, heating oil and kerosene consumption spiked from the US to Germany to Japan. Hence, as recently as 2014, the fourth quarter still marked the annual high for crude demand and, typically, prices. Since then, the seasonality has flipped: Now, the third quarter sees higher demand and prices. The shift means the market is now at its tightest from July to September, rather than October to December. While one-time events can still have an effect — the 2008 global financial crisis, for example, or the Covid-19 pandemic that started in early 2020 — looking over a long enough timescale reveals the change clearly. Because it happened incrementally over a quarter of a century, it often doesn't get the attention it deserves. But the chart below makes it obvious.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Everything you need to know about the Perseid meteor shower
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The will start in the evening on July 17, bringing thousands of shooting stars to skies across the Northern Hemisphere. Here's everything you need to know about it. WHAT ARE THEY? happen when a group of meteoroids enter Earth's atmosphere from one specific point in the sky. Once a meteoroid enters the atmosphere, it becomes a meteor. As the atmosphere eats away at them, meteors leave a trail of debris. Because of the high speeds, they appear like a bright streak of light. The Perseids, considered the most prolific meteor shower of the year, earned the name because they appear to come from the constellation Perseus. The showers happen every night until Aug. 23 and typically peak on Aug. 12. WHERE DO METEORS COME FROM? Meteors are bits of broken asteroids and leftover particles from comets. The meteors in the Perseid meteor shower come from one specific comet: . According to NASA, Swift-Tuttle takes approximately 133 years to orbit the Sun. The comet was first discovered in 1862 by astronomers Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle. Three years later, Giovanni Schiaparelli discovered that the Perseid meteors came from the comet. Swift-Tuttle last passed near Earth in 1992. It is forecasted to pass by Earth again in 2126. HOW MANY METEORS ARE THERE? Typically, the Perseids average about 25 meteors per hour, but sometimes they reach anywhere between flash in an hour. The highest rates are between 150 and 200 meteors, but that's only in 'outburst' years and when they also have low moonlight. HOW FAST ARE THEY MOVING? A typical meteoroid from the Perseids is traveling at more than 133,000 miles per hour when it hits the planet's atmosphere. Most of them are extremely small and are quickly destroyed. In rare situations, meteor fragments will make it to the ground. That's when the term changes from meteor to meteorite. The speed combined with the friction of the atmosphere drastically heats up the meteors. NASA estimates they reach upwards of 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit while traversing Earth's atmosphere. WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO SEE THE PERSEIDS? Stargazing experts recommend going to the darkest possible location — dark sky parks are a great bet — and take 30 minutes or so to allow your eyes to adjust to the dark. The meteor shower typically starts around 11 p.m. and continues until dawn. The can be found in the northeast horizon and is somewhat shaped like a stick figure with a pointed head. It's usually easier to find — a brighter constellation shaped like a W. Perseus and the origin point for the Perseids will be slightly below. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
