Is “Now”, for me, mathematically the same as “Now” for people on the other side of the world?

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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

25 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

The answer of your question lies within the definition.

is it “now” as the exact defined moment in time you are experiencing right now? If so, yes, the moment is identical to them because time may be relevant for the object. “Now” is always now, if you’re at a space station or on earth because it all has to be relative to that object (For example you in this case).

But of course, the relativity of time makes it possible that your “now” in relation to another object (for example a space traveller) is different.

Long story short:

Your now is always now. Now is one exact point in time.

Imagine you have 2 exact watches.

You are wearing one and your twin going to the end of our solar system and come back your watches may have a small difference.

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