What time is it on the moon? claudiodivizia/iStockphoto/Getty Images
Astronauts, set your watches. Time on the surface of the moon has been calculated to tick at a rate of 57 millionths of a second a day faster than it does on Earth, a difference that could be crucial as lunar exploration ramps up.
Later this decade, NASA hopes to return humans to the moon for the first time in more than 50 years, while in the past two years, six uncrewed spacecraft have attempted lunar landings. But increasingly, our lunar timekeeping isn’t up to scratch.

![Small dome in the Compton-Belkovich region (61.33 ?N, 99.68 ?E). Evidence indicates a volcanic origin for this and other intriguing features in the region. Incidence angle is 64?, Sun is from the SSW, image is ~510 m across. NAC image number M139238146L [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].](https://images.newscientistbeta.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/07172644/SEI_163208069.jpg)

