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Dictionary term

Equation of Time

Direct answer

Equation of Time: The Equation of Time is the varying difference between apparent solar time and mean solar time through the year.

The Equation of Time is the seasonal offset between sundial time and mean clock time.

Calendars & TimekeepingThe Great Almanac DictionaryUpdated 2026-07-16
Calendar and clock · visual guide Equation of Time

The Equation of Time is the seasonal offset between sundial time and mean clock time.

A cycle or timeline schematic for comparing the named timekeeping concept.

Quick reference

Use when
Use the Equation of Time to correct sundials, calculate Solar Noon, and interpret an analemma.
Do not use it for
State the sign convention because some tables compute apparent minus mean while others reverse it.
Reference category
Calendars & Timekeeping
Related terms
Local Mean Solar Time, Greenwich Mean Time, Calendar, Julian Date

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The story behind Equation of Time

Almanacs published equation-of-time tables so clock users and navigators could convert observed solar time.

Equation of Time in spiritual tradition

Spiritually, the Equation of Time makes visible the difference between natural variation and a useful average.

Equation of Time: fact and faith, kept distinct

This is a factual calendar, astronomy, Earth-science, cultural-history, or observational reference. It can support wonder and practical planning without becoming a claim of fate, spiritual causation, or private revelation.

Equation of Time in numerology

Equation of Time is not a numerology claim. Any numbers attached to it should retain their ordinary scientific, calendrical, navigational, or historical meaning unless a separate symbolic interpretation is clearly labeled.

Why Equation of Time matters

Earth orbital eccentricity and axial tilt make the true Sun run alternately ahead of and behind the mean Sun.

Equation of Time at work: an example

Depending on the date, apparent noon can differ from mean noon by more than a quarter hour.

Where interpretation stops

Equation of Time is presented as sourced astronomy, calendrical, Earth-science, cultural, or instrument-history reference. Definitions should distinguish measured phenomena from civil convention and historical interpretation, preserve location and time dependencies, and avoid turning factual sky data into a deterministic personal claim.

Sources and editorial method

Research references used for this entry include:

Source
The Great Almanac Dictionary
Category
Calendars & Timekeeping
Also appears in
Calendars & Timekeeping
Aliases
None listed
Last updated
2026-07-16

Correct sundial and clock time

Equation of Time in a book is one thing; Equation of Time in your own birth chart is your life. The Oracle casts your real chart and tells you what it means for your love, your work, and your year ahead, in conversation, free.

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Local Mean Solar TimeLocal Mean Solar Time is longitude-based clock time referenced to the mean Sun. Greenwich Mean TimeGreenwich Mean Time is the historical mean-solar time reference at Greenwich. CalendarA Calendar organizes days into named and numbered cycles for reckoning time. Julian DateJulian Date is a continuous astronomical count of days and day fractions. Coordinated Universal TimeCoordinated Universal Time is the international reference standard for world time. Sidereal TimeSidereal Time is star-based rotational time used to orient the sky.

More in Calendars & Timekeeping

Common questions

What is Equation of Time?

The Equation of Time is the varying difference between apparent solar time and mean solar time through the year.

How is Equation of Time used in an almanac?

Use the Equation of Time to correct sundials, calculate Solar Noon, and interpret an analemma.

What should I avoid when interpreting Equation of Time?

State the sign convention because some tables compute apparent minus mean while others reverse it.

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