# Polar time **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 26, 2007, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polar-time/397506 "2007-03-26T04:30:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Baffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dec6dc/32.png) [@Baffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baffle)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polar-time/397506/1 "2007-03-26T04:30:49Z")
How is time told at the South Pole? (For these questions, I’ll just pick the pole that has land beneath). I assume they deal with the paradox of being in every time zone at once by just pointing at a mark on the horizon and saying ‘When the sun’s over that, it’s noon. When the sun’s opposite that, it’s midnight.’ What about when you step ten meters away from the pole? At this point, you’re definitely on a distinct longitude line. While I’m sure in practice you’ll consider yourself on the same time as you would right at the south pole, this makes me wonder at which distance from the pole do separate time zones exist? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polar-time/397506/2 "2007-03-26T04:38:22Z")
Seems to be you’d probably avoid the whole issue by using Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) or Zulu Time (Z) depending on whether you’re civilian or military. And a quick check shows that I’m correct: [http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/antarctica/](http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/antarctica/) > [@](#): > > What time zone is Antarctica in? > Antarctica Standard Time is Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). > > Bases and stations around Antarctica tend to keep either the time relating to their home territory or the supply line that feeds them! ---
**Author:** ![Baffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dec6dc/32.png) [@Baffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baffle)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polar-time/397506/3 "2007-03-26T15:42:53Z")
That’s about what I expected. But how far north does one go before there are separate time zones? ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polar-time/397506/4 "2007-03-26T16:04:13Z")
[QUOTE=Baffle] That’s about what I expected. But how far north does one go before there are separate time zones? [/QUOTE] Well, the second part of that article said: \*Strictly speaking the South Pole operates GMT but you can walk through all 24 time zones in a few seconds! \* ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polar-time/397506/5 "2007-03-26T16:11:15Z")
From [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amundsen-Scott_South_Pole_Station): > [@](#): > > The [Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station] uses New Zealand time (UTC+12, UTC+13 during daylight saving time) since all flights to McMurdo station depart from Christchurch and therefore all official travel from the pole goes through New Zealand. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polar-time/397506/6 "2007-03-26T16:38:25Z")
> [@](#): > > That’s about what I expected. But how far north does one go before there are separate time zones? The poles are sparesely enough populated that one doesn’t need to worry about things like exact boundaries of time zones. Some time between leaving their home countries and arriving at the research stations, expedition members reset their watches, and it doesn’t matter exactly where. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polar-time/397506/7 "2007-03-26T16:42:19Z")
I don’t know about those other guys, but if I’m at the South Pole, it’s time to go home. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polar-time/397506/8 "2007-03-26T16:44:32Z")
Time zones Scmime zones! How do they know what day it is? (International date line)