Coordinated Universal Time

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is within about 1 second of mean solar time at 0° longitude, and is not adjusted for daylight saving time. It is effectively a successor to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Overview

The Coordinated Universal Time is a time standard that is used to keep time regulated and consistent across the world. It is based on International Atomic Time, with leap seconds added at irregular intervals to compensate for Earth's slowing rotation. Leap seconds are used to allow UTC to closely track Universal Time (UT1), which is a time standard based on the Earth's rotation.

History

The concept of Coordinated Universal Time was first introduced in 1961 by the International Radio Consultative Committee. It was formalized in 1967 by the International Astronomical Union, and the system has been adjusted several times since then to increase its accuracy and reliability.

Usage

UTC is used in many internet and World Wide Web standards. The Network Time Protocol (NTP), used to synchronize computer clocks, is based on UTC. UTC is also used in aviation, computing, navigation, weather forecasting, and many other fields.

See also

• Greenwich Mean Time
• International Atomic Time
• Leap second
• Network Time Protocol
• Universal Time

References

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