Sidereal Time

Sidereal time is a timekeeping system used by astronomers to track the rotation of the Earth relative to distant stars rather than the Sun. A sidereal day represents the time it takes for the Earth to complete one full rotation relative to a fixed star, which is approximately 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds—slightly shorter than the solar day (24 hours). Sidereal time is crucial for locating celestial objects because it reflects the Earth's orientation with respect to the stars, helping astronomers determine visibility and align telescopes for observations.

Date to Sidereal