Why July 9 May Be the Shortest Day in Recorded History

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Although summer often means extended daylight periods, ironically, the individual days are actually becoming shorter.

It’s possible that July 9 could break the record for the shortest day, as recognized by the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS). This organization precisely measures the length of each day, even down to the millisecond. As per the BBC, it’s anticipated to be around 1.3 milliseconds shorter than the usual 86,400 seconds in a 24-hour period.

It’s possible that this event could happen multiple times, with occurrences predicted on July 22 and Aug. 5 as well. This is because these dates are expected to have slightly less daylight due to the moon being at its farthest point from the equator. This phenomenon has been linked by experts to the Earth’s rotation speed, as reported by their source.

It’s been noted by experts that the Earth’s rotation has been speeding up noticeably since 2020. As a matter of fact, on July 5, 2024, we experienced the shortest day on record, with it being about 1.66 milliseconds shorter than average, as reported by Time and Date.

However, it’s not just the position of the moon that explains the long-term increase in Earth’s rotational speed; other factors must be at play as well.

Leonid Zotov, a researcher at Moscow State University, stated during an interview with Time and Date on June 16th, that they have yet to find an explanation for the cause of this rapid increase in speed. The general consensus among scientists is that it’s likely an internal Earth phenomenon, as ocean and atmospheric models currently do not account for such a significant acceleration.

The IERS has occasionally added an extra second to the year (lastly in 2016) to keep high-precision clocks functioning correctly, even though most people won’t notice any difference. However, if days continue to be compressed at a quicker pace, there could be a subtle impact in the future, leading to the removal of a leap second from the clock for the first time since 1999 (which should occur in 2029).

Fortunately, though, Zotov predicted that the Earth’s momentum would eventually subside.

“I think we have reached the minimum,” he said. “Sooner or later, Earth will decelerate.”

For some of the most out-of-this-world celebrity quotes, keep reading.

Gayle King expressed that it’s difficult for her to express feeling both terrified and exhilarated at the same time when she was announced as part of Blue Origin’s six-woman crew for the New Shepard NS-31 mission, set to launch on April 14. She likened this feeling to what she felt before delivering a baby.

As a 70-year-old fanatic, I yearned to embark on uncharted territories and break free from my familiar confines. Before diving into this thrilling journey, I sought advice from my trusted crew members – my sons and my dear friend Oprah Winfrey – before committing to this exhilarating expedition.

After Kirby, Will, and Oprah agreed, I felt comfortable as well. I thought Oprah would object, but she surprised me by saying, “I believe if you don’t seize this chance when they all return, and you had the opportunity to do it, you’ll regret it.” She was correct. (King added)

Katy Perry expressed to Elle magazine that she found herself pondering, “What should I wear for this space flight?” before her journey with Lauren Sanchez, Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, and Kerianne Flynn aboard Blue Origin. In truth, she has harbored a desire to travel to space for close to two decades. She was actively exploring various commercial options for space travel. Even when Blue Origin initially discussed commercial trips to space, Katy was eager, saying, “Count me in! I’m first in line.

In 2010, it was reported by MTV News that Katy Perry had bought a $200,000 ticket for a ride on a Virgin Galactic suborbital flight, once the company successfully launched one into space.

Back then, the artist known as ‘E.T.’ expressed her fascination with alien subjects to a media outlet. She finds it hard not to feel insignificant when gazing at the stars during nighttime, realizing our planet is just one among billions. It’s humbling, she says. Both she and Russell Brand (who later separated in 2011) share an interest in extraterrestrial topics, as they are eager space explorers.

As her Blue Origin trip in 2025 drew nearer, the woman of 40 years said to Elle magazine, “I don’t have a moment to feel anxious or concerned; I simply don’t have that luxury. When they count down from ’10, 9, 8, 7,’ I’ll likely experience something, but until then, there are things to attend to and matters to address.

However, Perry jokingly added, “Space will undeniably become fashionable. Allow me to share a secret. If I could elevate style in space, I surely would. We’re about to make ‘chic’ synonymous with ‘astronaut.’

In the year 2021, at the age of 90, William Shatner found himself soaring into space aboard a Blue Origin rocket. Once they had reached their destination, the renowned Star Trek actor moved swiftly (as quickly as floating in zero gravity was possible) towards the window.

Upon his return, Shatner described the vast emptiness he encountered as “cold, dark, and black,” a sensation he recounted in his book, “Boldly Go: Reflections on a Life of Awe and Wonder” (co-authored with Josh Brandon). He explained that this void was unlike any darkness experienced on Earth. It was deep, encompassing, and overwhelming. As he gazed back towards the light of home, Shatner could see the curvature of Earth, the beige of deserts, the white of clouds, and the blue of the sky. To him, this was life – nurturing, sustaining, and full of wonder. He referred to it as Mother Earth or Gaia. And yet, he found himself leaving her behind.

“Everything I had thought was wrong. Everything I had expected to see was wrong.”

After this experience, Shatner felt an even greater admiration for Earth. He expressed that it significantly strengthened his belief in the extraordinary and enigmatic bond we share as humans. Eventually, it filled him with optimism once more.

Expressing well wishes for the King’s upcoming Blue Origin voyage, Shatner shared in a video message, “This is an extraordinary experience that you won’t get to live twice – something completely new and unique. Cherish the ride.

In 2002, Lance Bass underwent training to travel to space. He synchronized himself with a Russian crew after a Dutch-based space tourism company, MirCorp, purchased a $20 million seat for him on a Soyuz flight to the International Space Station. This was all documented by a film crew.

But there was an insurance issue a week before launch, and Bass didn’t get to go.

Should a documentary not materialize, the flight would be impossible, and he felt deeply let down about it in 2023, but he remained awestruck by completing the training regardless.

Former member of ‘NSYNC, expressed his desire to visit the International Space Station someday. However, he’s not keen on a brief trip with Blue Origin or Virgin Galactic for suborbital travel.

Michael Strahan expressed that his journey into space onboard the Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket in December 2021 felt remarkably akin to stepping outside of one’s physical self.

He expressed disbelief to his ABC News coworker Amy Robach at the time, saying it was as if he was experiencing a sense of weightlessness, akin to when a booster or rocket lifts off and detaches, leaving you unsure which way is up. It’s a peculiar sensation, one that feels completely normal but also leaves you floating, causing your body to move in an unusual manner before you unbuckle.

In March 2022, Pete Davidson, who was dating Kim Kardashian at the time, accepted an invitation to travel for free on the New Shepard alongside five other passengers. However, when the flight got postponed, the Saturday Night Live star regrettably had to withdraw from the trip.

According to a representative from Blue Origin, Pete Davidson won’t be part of the NS-20 team for this particular mission. They plan to reveal the identity of the sixth crew member soon.

Initially, Kardashian confessed that he had been apprehensive when it came time for him to depart, as his memory of witnessing his parents weep in 1986 upon the Space Shuttle Challenger’s explosion resurfaced.

Kardashian confessed that he felt a bit anxious at the point of departure, as the sight of his parents crying during the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion in 1986 came flooding back to him.

Jeff Bezos extended an invitation for Pete to travel to space, she shared on ‘The Kardashians’. She found it hard to believe, remarking that it seemed incredibly unusual and almost unreal to her.

After speaking with Bezos, she felt reassured due to his descriptions of the safety measures, testing, and precautions taken. As a result, she felt at ease with Pete participating.

And, Kardashian added, “If I didn’t have four kids, I would absolutely go.”

Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, hasn’t personally traveled aboard one of his company’s spacecraft thus far. However, at the International Astronautical Conference in 2016, he expressed his aspiration for SpaceX to start transporting humans to Mars as early as 2024. At that time, Musk acknowledged this was an “optimistic” projection.

More cautiously, Musk stated earlier that the initial trips to Mars would likely be extremely perilous, with a significant risk of loss of life. Unfortunately, there seems to be no way to avoid this danger.

In September 2024, he revised his target, stating that SpaceX aimed to send an uncrewed Starship to Mars by the close of 2026. The focus is then set on potentially dispatching humans to Mars two years later.

During a lively debate at the White House between President Barack Obama and climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe in October 2016, I found myself playfully expressing my enthusiasm for the idea of colonizing Mars, just like I was!

In simpler terms, Hayhoe pointed out during their discussion about the significance of choosing leaders who acknowledge climate change, “Regardless of who we are, we’re all Earthlings, right? Until we embark on a mission to Mars, let’s keep our focus here on our planet. I don’t even want to entertain the idea that anyone has made plans for that journey, because I think it’s quite unusual.

To which DiCaprio interjected, “I did.”

Quipped Obama, “I think he’ll acknowledge he’s crazy.”

Leonardo DiCaprio, without clarifying his intentions, had initially shown interest in traveling aboard a Virgin Galactic spaceship. In fact, a seat on that very spacecraft, whenever it eventually launched, was auctioned off for $1.5 million at the amfAR Cinema Against AIDS charity event—an event DiCaprio attended—during the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.

Over time, Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Galactic, expressed uncertainty about whether Leonardo DiCaprio would join the inaugural space voyage or not.

In 2016, he shared with Vulture that approximately 700 individuals had registered and remained dedicated to our program. Some of these participants have been part of it for over a decade since its inception. However, I believe we’re nearing the end of this journey now.

In 2018, it was Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity that completed its inaugural suborbital space journey, with Leonardo DiCaprio not on board.

In February 2013, Justin Bieber tweeted, “I wanna do a concert in space.”

NASA replied, “Maybe we can help you  with that.”

In June, Branson posted on Twitter that Bieber and their manager Scooter Braun had booked flights for a suborbital space journey with Virgin Galactic. He also wrote, “Congratulations, I look forward to seeing you both there!

To which Bieber replied, “Let’s shoot a music video in SPACTopMob!”

None of this has happened yet. 

Tom Hanks developed a deep fascination with outer space after watching Stanley Kubrick’s movie “2001: A Space Odyssey” for the first time back in 1968, when he was just 12 years old.

As a follower with an unwavering interest in the cosmos, I can recall vividly the moment when I first witnessed the captivating portrayal of Apollo 13. In 2023, I shared my thoughts with The Guardian, expressing that this cinematic representation ignited a passion within me that had previously eluded me regarding space exploration. Although I had been aware of the space program beforehand, it wasn’t until I experienced the artistry and romanticism depicted in that film that I became truly captivated.

About a month after an astonishing cinema visit, he tuned into a Christmas-themed telecast showing Apollo 8 orbiting around the moon. “I was looking at the entire Earth on my television,” he reminisced. “That’s where I live!

His most recent space-related endeavor is titled “The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks,” an engaging movie based on the Apollo missions that’s being shown at Space Center Houston, which he collaborated on and provides the narration for.

Tom Hanks is also rumored to be on the waiting list for Virgin Galactic. However, during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2021, the Academy Award winner mentioned that he had declined a flight offer from Blue Origin due to a very practical reason.

Hanks quipped about the price being around 28 million dollars, saying ‘I’m doing well, Jimmy, but I’m not spending 28 million dollars.'”, or more casually: “Hanks jokingly mentioned a figure close to 28 million dollars and said, ‘I’m doing okay, but there’s no way I’m dropping 28 million.’

It’s known that Ashton Kutcher had initially reserved a spot for space travel with Virgin Galactic. However, following a deep conversation with Mila Kunis, he decided to cancel his booking.

He shared with Cheddar News in July 2021 that his wife advised against the idea of him going to space when they had young kids, as it wasn’t a prudent family choice at that time.

Prince William won’t be accused of trying to colonize Mars, thank you very much.

He emphasized to the BBC’s Newscast in 2021 that we should prioritize “making efforts to mend our planet.” It’s essential, he said, that we concentrate on this world instead of abandoning it and seeking solutions for the future by venturing out into space.

And, the father of three noted, he admittedly preferred to measure altitude in feet, not miles.

William expressed his disinterest in flying too high, stating, “I prefer to keep my flights relatively low…even though I’m a pilot. I’ve only gone as high as 65,000 feet in an aircraft once, and let me tell you, it was downright petrifying.

Cameron Diaz expressed in 2014, “I’m excited about traveling to space – it truly represents the next great adventure for us.” She added, “As explorers, it’s natural for humans to venture beyond this planet at some point.

Reflecting on a blue moon over the shoreline of St. Barts, the actress remarked, “I’m not aware of much. The only thing I truly understand is that there are forces larger than myself. I yield to anything greater than me, no matter what it may be.

Michael Fassbender’s role in Ridley Scott’s prequel film “Prometheus” did not deter him from entertaining the possibility of actually venturing into space, despite the fact that no one would be able to hear your screams out there.

In 2012, he shared with W that if the opportunity arose, he would gladly embark on a space journey. However, space travel has never been something of great importance to him.

Fassbender’s Prometheus costar Charlize Theron, however, was a little haunted.

Theron told W that if Ridley Scott’s space isn’t real, she wouldn’t go. She confessed that when she watched Prometheus at a screening, she was so terrified she accidentally hit the metal chair beside her. She still has a small scar from it. Reflecting on this, she joked, ‘That shows how weak I am.’ She doesn’t believe she’s tough enough to handle space.

Following news breaks about Paris Hilton reserving a spot on Virgin Galactic in 2008, which was a decade prior to the actual flight, she expressed her fear during an interview.

Hilton pondered a thought: ‘Suppose I don’t return?’ This distant journey might mean I return 10,000 years from now, finding everyone I care about gone. It would feel like, ‘Fantastic, now I must begin anew.’

Despite not taking the journey herself, in an interview with Branson on “This Is Paris” in 2021, she disclosed that her current spouse, Carter Reum, had informed her he had purchased a ticket for travel.

Branson expressed a goal of making it possible for numerous listeners of this broadcast to travel to space in the future, while simultaneously reducing costs. However, he acknowledged that achieving this will require patience as space exploration is costly.

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2025-07-10 04:48