Does it take exactly 24 hours for the Earth to rotate?

Earth’s Rotation: Not Quite 24 Hours

Contrary to common belief, the Earth’s daily rotation is not an exact 24-hour affair. While we experience a solar day that is approximately 24 hours long, Earth’s rotation relative to distant stars is slightly faster.

Specifically, Earth completes a full cycle of rotation in approximately 23 hours and 56 minutes. This subtle difference arises from Earth’s simultaneous orbit around the Sun.

As Earth orbits the Sun, it moves in the same direction as its rotation. This means that the Earth has to rotate slightly faster than it would if it were stationary to make up for the distance it travels around the Sun each day.

This difference is what gives us our slightly shorter sidereal day, which is the time it takes for Earth to complete a full rotation relative to distant stars. The difference between the solar day and the sidereal day is about four minutes.

The solar day is the basis for our daily lives and is what we use to measure time zones. However, astronomers and scientists often use the sidereal day for their calculations, as it is a more precise measure of Earth’s rotation.

It is important to note that the Earth’s rotation is not constant and can vary by a few milliseconds per day due to factors such as the movement of the Earth’s core and changes in its atmosphere. However, the overall pattern of Earth’s rotation has remained relatively stable for billions of years.