# Time zone at the South Pole **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 3, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-at-the-south-pole/158829 "2003-03-03T20:42:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-at-the-south-pole/158829/1 "2003-03-03T20:42:08Z")
What time zone do researchers at the South Pole use? Everywhere else, barring the adjustments for daylight savings, boundaries, approximations, etc, noon is supposed to be when the sun is at its zenith (that’s why they’re called meridians). All the meridians meet at the South Pole, though; but obviously the South Pole has a day and night. So when does the sun’s zenith at the south pole take place? And what time zone is it considered a part of? I presume the whole region around the south pole is considered part of one time zone - otherwise you could rapidly change hours of the day (not to mention dates) by taking a quick jog around the pole. Also, since the date line touches the south pole, what date is it? I’m so confused! ---
**Author:** ![Indefatigable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9d8465/32.png) [@Indefatigable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indefatigable)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-at-the-south-pole/158829/2 "2003-03-03T20:54:41Z")
The date line and all other meridians meet at the North pole too… why are you specifically asking about the South pole? 🙂 P.S. I like your sig line. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-at-the-south-pole/158829/3 "2003-03-03T20:54:53Z")
They generally use the same time zone as their home country or research institution. New Zealand’s time zone is also commonly used, since that’s the source of all incoming/outgoing flights. I Googled “south pole time zone” for this info. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-at-the-south-pole/158829/4 "2003-03-03T20:59:46Z")
According to [this site](http://geography.about.com/library/faq/blqztimeatpoles.htm): > [@](#): > > …researchers in the Arctic and Antarctic regions of the earth usually use the time zone associated with their research stations. For example, since nearly all flights to Antarctica and the South Pole are from New Zealand, New Zealand time is the most commonly used time zone in Antarctica. And [here’s the current time there](http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=468). BTW, **matt** , I love the signature. Is it original to you, or a quote from elsewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-at-the-south-pole/158829/5 "2003-03-03T21:01:21Z")
Apparently we all Googled the same sites. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-at-the-south-pole/158829/6 "2003-03-03T21:18:00Z")
This question came up close to two years ago with regard to the north pole in this [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=60077&highlight=international+date+line) My response was > [@](#): > > Right now it is midnight at the North pole. Since the pole is exactly on the International Date Line, hovering on the transition between two dates which can only occur at midnight in any given time zone. ---
**Author:** ![Blueapple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Blueapple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blueapple)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-at-the-south-pole/158829/7 "2003-03-03T21:21:34Z")
Is the OP asking about the South Pole specifically, or Antarctica in general? ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-at-the-south-pole/158829/8 "2003-03-03T21:46:04Z")
Anything that’s relevant. And I asked about the South Pole because it happens to be on a continent 🙂