• Question: Is it possible that time travels slower in space than on Earth, if so how much slower or does it matter where you are i n space?

    Asked by sapphire blue to Heather, Helen, Hugh, Jane, Julian on 14 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Helen Johnson

      Helen Johnson answered on 14 Nov 2014:


      Interesting question!! This actually relates to Einstein’s theory of general relativity. The stronger the gravitational field, the slower time runs! So if you’re on Earth with a very accurate clock, and someone in space had a huge telescope to be able to look at that clock, they would think it was ticking too slowly.

    • Photo: Julian Onions

      Julian Onions answered on 14 Nov 2014:


      Time also slows down when you are moving fast, which you often are in space. The astronauts on the ISS have time running faster, because they are further from the Earth, and slower because they are moving at about 17,000 mph!
      Its all tiny tiny differences, which you don’t notice unless you have atomically accurate clocks.
      Around a black hole though, there it really begins to mess with time!

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