I have only a very vague awareness of the idea of relativity but I’m aware that there’s a concept that people in orbit experience less time than those on the planet due to gravity, in some way.
Does this mean that the idea of “now”, as in a moment that is right now, is marginally different for people in other places? Are they experiencing a moment that is in my objective future/past, in a mathematical sense?
In: Physics
Yes, except relativity.
If you define your ‘now’ loosely to fit within speed of light delays, then it is. You and the person on the other side of the earth will agree to the current time within 0.043 seconds, which is the time it takes light to travel one earth diameter. If you want more than that, then Einstein’s General and Special Relativity come into play, which state that each ‘reference frame’ has its own definition of ‘now’
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