mean solar day

mean solar day

[′mēn ′sō·lər ′dā]

(astronomy)

The duration of one rotation of the earth on its axis, with respect to the mean sun; the length of the mean solar day is 24 hours of mean solar time or 24^h03^m56.555^sof mean sidereal time.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

mean solar day

The period between two successive transits of a particular meridian on the earth by the astronomical mean sun. The length of a mean solar day is 24 h 3 min 56.555 s. It is divided arbitrarily into twenty-four units known as mean solar hours. Also called a civil day, mean day, or solar day.

An Illustrated Dictionary of Aviation Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved