Department of Energy Argonne National Laboratory Office of Science NEWTON's Homepage NEWTON's Homepage
NEWTON, Ask A Scientist!
NEWTON Home Page NEWTON Teachers Visit Our Archives Ask A Question How To Ask A Question Question of the Week Our Expert Scientists Volunteer at NEWTON! Frequently Asked Questions Referencing NEWTON About NEWTON About Ask A Scientist Education At Argonne Cosmic Jet Lag 
Name: reilly
Status: N/A
Age: N/A
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 1993 - 1999
Question:
If you travel to Pluto and stayed there for a while, what would 'cosmic jet lag' be like. ? Is time itsdelfelf be awarped? Would a week at Pluto be in orbit about Pluto be actually a month in time back on the earth?

Replies:
Jet lag is caused by a shift in your local day/night cycle. Astronauts traveling to Pluto and staying on Pluto would probably maintain a constant artificial day/night cycle to avoid jet lag effects (after all, there is no day/night in outer space). I think you're getting jet lag confused with time-dilation which is a relativistic effect which only occurs when your speed approaches the speed of light.

John Hawley


Click here to return to the Astronomy Archives

NEWTON is an electronic community for Science, Math, and Computer Science K-12 Educators, sponsored and operated by Argonne National Laboratory's Educational Programs, Andrew Skipor, Ph.D., Head of Educational Programs.

For assistance with NEWTON contact a System Operator (help@newton.dep.anl.gov), or at Argonne's Educational Programs

NEWTON AND ASK A SCIENTIST
Educational Programs
Building 360
9700 S. Cass Ave.
Argonne, Illinois
60439-4845, USA
Update: June 2012
Weclome To Newton

Argonne National Laboratory