apparent time

noun

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

apparent time

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 timeSee more at mean time

Word History and Origins

Origin of apparent time¹

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

That amendment had no apparent time limit.

From Washington Post

Josh Whitehouse plays opposite Hudgens as the medieval man, who is thrown into modern times during an episode of apparent time travel.

From New York Times

More than 800 cases involved apparent time travel: In those instances, Transworld employees swore that borrowers’ loans had been purchased by investors on dates that were months or even years before the loans were actually made.

From New York Times

Whose is a handkerchief embroidered with the initial “H”? The detective then carefully notes the arrangement of the sleeping compartments, the movements of train personnel in the night, the apparent time of the stabbing and the possibility that the original murder plan was altered because of the snow.

From Washington Post