Wisconsinites could lose time on July 9. Here’s what that means
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Wisconsinites could lose time on July 9. Here’s what that means
July 9 could be one of the shortest days of 2025. It’s due to the Earth picking up speed in its rotation, Timeanddate.com says. July 22 and Aug. 5 are also expected to be shorter days, according to Timeand date.com. It takes roughly 86,400 seconds — or 24 hours — for Earth to complete a full rotation.
No, it’s not an early winter solstice. It’s actually due to the Earth picking up speed in its rotation, Timeanddate.com says.
Here’s what to know:
Why is the day going to be shorter on July 9?
Basically, the Earth is going to rotate quicker than usual.
It takes roughly 86,400 seconds — or 24 hours — for Earth to complete a full rotation. This is measured using atomic clocks, which measure the “precise length of a second,” according to Timeanddate.com.
Scientists discovered in 2020 the planet was rotating the quickest its been since the start of record-keeping in the 1970s, which can be attributed to a variety of factors, according to LiveScience.
The trend has continued since, with the shortest day being recorded on July 5, 2024, when Timeanddate.com says the Earth rotated 1.66 milliseconds quicker than normal.
One factor affecting the rotation is the moon’s position. Earth spins quicker when the moon is “far to the north or south of Earth’s equator,” according to Timeanddate.com.
On July 9 — and two other upcoming dates — the moon will be at its maximum distance from the equator, Timeanddate.com notes.
How much time is being lost on July 9?
You won’t even notice the time loss.
According to Timeanddate.com, Earth is expect to be losing about 1.30 milliseconds.
Will 2025 see any other short days?
Yes. July 22 and Aug. 5 are also expected to be shorter days, according to Timeanddate.com.
Damon C. Williams contributed to this report.