Earth spinning faster: July 9 to be shortest day ever due to moon's position, say scientists

Earth is spinning faster than usual this summer. Because of this speed-up, July 9 will be the shortest day ever recorded in history. The day will be shorter by 1.3 to 1.6 milliseconds, says reports.

This is happening because of the moon’s position, which is affecting Earth’s rotation. Earth’s spin is very sensitive. Things like seasons and natural disasters can change its speed.

This will be the sixth time since 2020 that Earth’s rotation has sped up this way, according to the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service - IERS.


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More shortest days coming soon, say scientists

More short days are coming — July 22 and August 5 are expected to be shorter too. Because of these shorter days, scientists will have to adjust the world clock in the future.

A special time fix called a "negative leap second" will be added to keep our clocks accurate, as mentioned in the report by New York Times.

This clock adjustment will happen for the first time ever in 2029. Duncan Agnew, a geophysicist from University of California, San Diego, said this is a very unusual situation. He added it's not dangerous, but it's still a big scientific deal, as per the reports.

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FAQs

Q1. Why is July 9 the shortest day ever on Earth?
Because Earth is spinning slightly faster due to the moon’s position, shortening the day by about 1.6 milliseconds.

Q2. Will more short days like July 9 happen again?
Yes, scientists say July 22 and August 5 will also be slightly shorter because of changes in Earth’s rotation.