apparent time

American  

noun

1. Astronomy. local time measured by the hour angle of the sun.

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apparent time Scientific  

1. Solar time as measured by the Sun's actual position with respect to an observer's local meridian and equal for any observer to the hour angle of the Sun at that location. Sundials register apparent time, which differs continuously with the observer's longitude and is not standardized across a time zone. Each degree of longitude represents a difference of four minutes in apparent time. Because of irregularities in Earth's orbit and the tilt of its axis, a day as measured by apparent time varies somewhat in length throughout the year.

2. Also called apparent solar time

3. ◆ The moment when the Sun crosses an observer's local meridian is called the apparent noon.

4. Compare local mean time See more at mean time solar time

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Etymology

Origin of apparent time

First recorded in 1685–95

Example Sentences

There are many ways to smoke out fakes, including examining shadows to determine if the apparent time of day in the video corresponds to when the activity supposedly captured actually took place.

From Seattle Times • May 8, 2022

This truth becomes apparent time and again on The Last Message Received, a Tumblr on which people post messages that turned out to be the last they heard from a loved one or friend.

From The Guardian • Dec. 6, 2015

By the half, it was apparent time, adrenaline and sweat had moved Wall to a new level of comfort.

From Washington Times • May 13, 2015

"With regards to the apparent time wasting in last night's Swansea game: what we should all remember is that Charlie Morgan is not that type of ballboy" – Simon Lea.

From The Guardian • Jan. 24, 2013

This will be the solar or apparent time, that is, the very time we require.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 3 "Destructors" to "Diameter" by Various