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Times in Antarctica vary depending on the location of the research station and which country is operating the research station. Many research stations, but not all, use the time of the location that provides their supplies.

For the most part, daylight saving time is not observed in Antarctica but there are exceptions. These exceptions include Palmer Station, Scott Base, General Bernard O’Higgins Station (and all other Chilean research stations), the South Pole itself (Amundsen–Scott) and McMurdo Research Station.

Time zones are, in theory, divided along lines of longitude. This of course does not always apply but nonetheless, it is how time zones work in theory. The South Pole and the North Pole are the two locations in the world where all the lines of longitude meet. Therefore, the polar regions could in theory be in any time zone. If you walk in a circle while at either the North or South Pole then you will walk through every time zone within seconds.

Since the North Pole is comprised of floating ice packs in the Arctic Ocean, there is no weather or research stations there because they would essentially just float away.

The South Pole, unlike the North Pole, is actual land that is covered in ice. As a result, having a base at the South Pole is possible. Since the base at the South Pole is maintained by the USA and since most flights to the South Pole leave from Christchurch, New Zealand, the time at the South Pole (Amundsen–Scott) is, for practical reasons, in the same time zone as New Zealand. This helps create harmony between flights, communications, etc.

Other parts of Antarctica vary depending on the host country. While some times at the research stations can be confirmed easily, others are not so easy. At timegenie.com, we are trying to confirm as many locations as possible.

Argentina Research Stations:

Argentinian Antarctica (in Spanish, Antártida Argentina) is a sector of Antarctica which Argentina considers part of its National Territory. The Argentine Antarctic region, consisting of the Antarctic Peninsula and a triangular section extending to the South Pole, is delimited by the meridians 25º West and 74º West and the parallel 60º South latitude. Administratively, Argentine Antarctica is a department of the province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica, and South Atlantic Islands . The provincial authorities reside in Ushuaia and the Governor annually designates his delegate for the Antarctica region, which thus represents the civil power of the zone.

Australia Research Stations:

On January 3, 2005, a senior official at the Australian Antarctic Division officially confirmed that Casey, Davis and Mawson Research stations are UTC/GMT +8, +7 & +6 hours respectively. None of these three stations observe daylight savings times.

Macquarie Island is not located on the Antarctic continent but it is far enough south to be managed by the Australian Antarctic Division. Technically Macquarie Island is located within the Australian state of Tasmania. Therefore, Macquarie Island is in the same time zone as Tasmania and observes daylight saving time.

China Research Stations:

On August 16, 2005, timegenie.com received official confirmation from the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administraion regarding the times for their research stations in the Antarctic. Zhongshan Station is UTC/GMT +5 hours. The Great Wall Station is UTC/GMT -4 hours. Both stations do not observe summer time.

Chile Research Stations:

According to the Chilean Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOA), an agency of the Chilean Navy and the agency that is the lawful keeper of time in Chile, the Chilean Antarctic Territory is UTC/GMT -4 hours during standard time and UTC/GMT -3 hours during daylight saving time.

Daylight saving time is observed in Chile from the second Saturday in October until the second Saturday in March.

Finland:

On August 17, 2005, timegenie.com Finnish Antarctic Research Program (FINNARP) informing us that the Aboa, the Finnish research station, uses Greenwich Meantime. The reason for this is due to the fact that Aboa is located only 13 degrees longitude from the Greenwich Meridian Line of 0 degrees longitude. Aboa is not occupied during the winter months.

Germany:

According GAWSIS Station Information System , Neumayer Station is UTC +1.

India:

On December 27, 2005, timegenie.com received a reply from a Radio Amateur (DJ7BA) confirming that both Maitri Research Station (India) and Novolazarevskaya Research Station (Russia), which are located only 4.5 km from each other, both use UTC/GMT throughout the year.

Italy:

On December 29, 2005, timegenie.com received a reply from a Radio Amateur (DJ7BA) who had just made radio contact with a person at Terra Nova Station. When asked what the current time was at the research station, the individual mentioned they used to the same time as New Zealand.

New Zealand:

On August 15, 2005, timegenie.com received official confirmation from Antarctica New Zealand that Scott Base is in the exact same time zone as New Zealand in all respects, including daylight saving time.

South Korea:

On August 16, 2005, timegenie.com received a reply from the Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) radio operator for King Sejong Station stating that the station observes Chilean Standard time (UTC/GMT -4 hours). The station does not observe summer time.

Sweden:

timegenie.com received confirmation from The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat on August 17, 2005 regarding the times for both Wasa and Svea Research Stations. timegenie.com was informed that both stations use Swedish Standard Time. This is the same time as Central Europe Standard Time which is UTC/GMT +1 hour.

Russia:

On December 27, 2005, timegenie.com received a reply from a Radio Amateur (DJ7BA) confirming that both Maitri Research Station (India) and Novolazarevskaya Research Station (Russia), which are located only 4.5 km from each other, both use UTC/GMT throughout the year.

UK Research Stations:

On January 18, 2005, an official from the British Antarctic Survey confirmed times for UK research stations in Antarctica. Most UK research stations do not observe daylight, but there is one exception to this rule and that is Halley Scientific Research Base.

Halley Scientific Research Base does not observe a traditional daylight saving time. Instead, this research base changes from UTC/GMT 0 hours to UTC/GMT -3 hours in late November or early December of each year. The time changes to UTC/GMT -3 hours around the time that the first plane arrives via Rothera Scientific Research Base which is located on Adelaide Island in the Bellingshausen Sea. This allows Halley to be in harmony with time at Rothera.

When the last plane leaves Halley Scientific Research Base, the time goes back to UTC/GMT 0 hours. This happens normally around April, if not sooner. It is difficult to say exactly when the time changes at Halley as it all depends on weather.

Since the time at Halley does not change on a set date and since the time change will vary for operational reasons from year to year, at timegenie.com, we have decided to have Halley change to UTC/GMT -3 hours on December 1 of each year and to change back to UTC/GMT 0 hours on April 1 of each year.

Airstrips such as Port Lockroy, Fossil Bluff and Sky–Blu operate on the same time as Rothera.

Signy Island Scientific Research Base, located in the South Orkney Islands, is UTC/GMT -3 hours from approximately November 1 of each year until approximately April 15 of each year. Around April 15 of each the base actually shuts down for the Antarctic winter. The exact date that Signy Island opens and closes all depends on when ships are able to arrive and when the last ship is able to depart before winter happens.