<p>I am trying to convert my UTC into LST by using formula for my astrophysics simulation. The problem is that I get something like difference of 1~2 min when I use known formula and python library called astropy.</p>
<p>Before going on,I will mention that I am using following equation for getting my LST</p>
<p>LST=100.46+0.985647⋅d+long+15⋅UT</p>
<p>d is a number of date from J2000 long is longitude and UT is universal time</p>
<p>The formula above gives me the local sidereal time in unit of degree. The difference between UT and UTC would be less than 1 sec and I used my longitude with 0.1 degree precision. If I treat uncertainty from UT to be 15 sec and uncertainty from the longitude to be 24 sec (0.1 deg = 24sec), then by making summation for two uncertainties with square uncertainty which I expect from the LST would be less than 30 sec in worst case scenario. (Actually I was expecting much less than this.)</p>
<p>However, following python script which I made does not work as I intended.</p>
<pre><code>import numpy as np
from datetime import datetime
from datetime import timezone

import astropy.time
import astropy.coordinates
import astropy.units as u



epoch=1072959037
J2000=datetime.utcfromtimestamp(946684800) #epoch for J2000

lat=40.7 #Latitude of NYC
lon=-74.0 #Longitude of NYC
r=0.985647

def UTC2LST(UTC):
    YMDHMS=datetime.utcfromtimestamp(UTC)
    strUTC=str(YMDHMS)
    UTH=float(strUTC[-8:-6])
    UTM=float(strUTC[-5:-3])
    UTS=float(strUTC[-2:])
    print(UTH,UTM,UTS) #Current UTC time in Hour Min Sec
    UT=UTH+UTM/60+UTS/3600
    d=(YMDHMS-J2000).days
    val=100.46+r*d+lon+15*UT
    LSTdeg=val%360 #val is in deg but we need leftover of large deg.
    H=LSTdeg//15
    M=(LSTdeg-H*15)//(15/60)
    S=(LSTdeg-H*15-M*15/60)//(15/60/60)
    print(H,M,S) #Current LST in Hour Minute Second
    
def astropyconvert(UTC):
    time=astropy.time.Time(val=UTC,format=&quot;unix&quot;,location=(lon*u.deg,lat*u.deg))
    print(time.sidereal_time(&quot;apparent&quot;))

    
now=int(datetime.now().strftime('%s'))
UTC2LST(now)
astropyconvert(now)
</code></pre>
<p>When I run it I get something like following</p>
<pre><code>19.0 29.0 33.0
5.0 18.0 4.0
5h19m18.10956548s
</code></pre>
<p>The difference between two is more than what I have expected. Every time I try the conversion, I get between 1 ~ 2 min difference. Moreover, when I check it from the website where it shows current sidereal time (<a href="https://www.localsiderealtime.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.localsiderealtime.com/</a>), result on the website matches with astropy result with less than 1 sec difference. This implies me that the result from the astropy is more precise. However, I want to increase precision not by relying on the astropy. In terms of running a simulation, using astropy seem to require more computing time and power compare to using a formula. Is there someting I am missing when I am looking for the conversion? Or is there any suggestion for improvement?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-03T19:47:20.657Z
A 1 minute difference likely results from not accounting for leap seconds and the Atomic Time vs. UTC difference, which is about 60 seconds.  The data is available here: https://www.iers.org/IERS/EN/DataProducts/EarthOrientationData/eop.html
Greg Miller
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-03T19:51:41.450Z
I also notice that you're using "apparent" in the code.  Apparent sidereal time accounts for precession and nutation, and the simple algorithm you're using doesn't account for that.
Greg Miller
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-04T12:08:56.193Z
The Horizons manual has an equation for Greenwich Mean Sidereal Time under https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons/manual.html#longterm I have Python code using that equation in https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/49546/16685
PM 2Ring
<astropy><sidereal-period>
Why I get slightly (but not acceptable) difference for my Local Sidereal time?
Kyle
# Why I get slightly (but not acceptable) difference for my Local Sidereal time?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-05-03)

I am trying to convert my UTC into LST by using formula for my astrophysics simulation. The problem is that I get something like difference of 1~2 min when I use known formula and python library called astropy.
Before going on,I will mention that I am using following equation for getting my LST
LST=100.46+0.985647⋅d+long+15⋅UT
d is a number of date from J2000 long is longitude and UT is universal time
The formula above gives me the local sidereal time in unit of degree. The difference between UT and UTC would be less than 1 sec and I used my longitude with 0.1 degree precision. If I treat uncertainty from UT to be 15 sec and uncertainty from the longitude to be 24 sec (0.1 deg = 24sec), then by making summation for two uncertainties with square uncertainty which I expect from the LST would be less than 30 sec in worst case scenario. (Actually I was expecting much less than this.)
However, following python script which I made does not work as I intended.
import numpy as np
from datetime import datetime
from datetime import timezone

import astropy.time
import astropy.coordinates
import astropy.units as u



epoch=1072959037
J2000=datetime.utcfromtimestamp(946684800) #epoch for J2000

lat=40.7 #Latitude of NYC
lon=-74.0 #Longitude of NYC
r=0.985647

def UTC2LST(UTC):
    YMDHMS=datetime.utcfromtimestamp(UTC)
    strUTC=str(YMDHMS)
    UTH=float(strUTC[-8:-6])
    UTM=float(strUTC[-5:-3])
    UTS=float(strUTC[-2:])
    print(UTH,UTM,UTS) #Current UTC time in Hour Min Sec
    UT=UTH+UTM/60+UTS/3600
    d=(YMDHMS-J2000).days
    val=100.46+r*d+lon+15*UT
    LSTdeg=val%360 #val is in deg but we need leftover of large deg.
    H=LSTdeg//15
    M=(LSTdeg-H*15)//(15/60)
    S=(LSTdeg-H*15-M*15/60)//(15/60/60)
    print(H,M,S) #Current LST in Hour Minute Second
    
def astropyconvert(UTC):
    time=astropy.time.Time(val=UTC,format="unix",location=(lon*u.deg,lat*u.deg))
    print(time.sidereal_time("apparent"))

    
now=int(datetime.now().strftime('%s'))
UTC2LST(now)
astropyconvert(now)

When I run it I get something like following
19.0 29.0 33.0
5.0 18.0 4.0
5h19m18.10956548s

The difference between two is more than what I have expected. Every time I try the conversion, I get between 1 ~ 2 min difference. Moreover, when I check it from the website where it shows current sidereal time (https://www.localsiderealtime.com/), result on the website matches with astropy result with less than 1 sec difference. This implies me that the result from the astropy is more precise. However, I want to increase precision not by relying on the astropy. In terms of running a simulation, using astropy seem to require more computing time and power compare to using a formula. Is there someting I am missing when I am looking for the conversion? Or is there any suggestion for improvement?

**Tags:** astropy, sidereal-period

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: A 1 minute difference likely results from not accounting for leap seconds and the Atomic Time vs. UTC difference, which is about 60 seconds.  The data is available here: https://www.iers.org/IERS/EN/DataProducts/EarthOrientationData/eop.html  
> **username_1**: I also notice that you're using "apparent" in the code.  Apparent sidereal time accounts for precession and nutation, and the simple algorithm you're using doesn't account for that.  
> **username_2**: The Horizons manual has an equation for Greenwich Mean Sidereal Time under https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons/manual.html#longterm I have Python code using that equation in https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/49546/16685  

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## 0 answers

