Universal Standard Time
Universal Standard Time, or UST, is the primary time system used throughout Cradle.
UST was established by the Institute of Universal Standards after the creation of the first FIT drives, once it was realized that a new time standard would be needed to facilitate communication between the computers of different civilizations. While several methods were proposed, only one would meet both the precision and degree of invariability needed. This method works off of measurements taken from Aegial, the black hole at the center of Cradle, and averaging the rate of rotation between a network of atomic clocks.
By measuring the speed of particles emitted as radiation by Aegial, its rotational speed is able to be measured. Aegial rotates at approximately 80% the speed of light, or around 240,000 km/s. Multiple measurement satellites exist in orbit around Aegial, continuously taking measurements and comparing them to their internal atomic clocks. This method results in a measurement so accurate, it would take hundreds of millions of years to need adjustment by even a single U-second. Universial Standard Time approximates one rotation of Aegial to one U-second, with larger conversions listed in the table below.
History
UST was established by the Institute of Universal Standards after the creation of the first FIT drives, once it was realized that a new time standard would be needed to facilitate communication between the computers of different civilizations. While several methods were proposed, only one would meet both the precision and degree of invariability needed. This method works off of measurements taken from Aegial, the black hole at the center of Cradle, and averaging the rate of rotation between a network of atomic clocks.
Method
By measuring the speed of particles emitted as radiation by Aegial, its rotational speed is able to be measured. Aegial rotates at approximately 80% the speed of light, or around 240,000 km/s. Multiple measurement satellites exist in orbit around Aegial, continuously taking measurements and comparing them to their internal atomic clocks. This method results in a measurement so accurate, it would take hundreds of millions of years to need adjustment by even a single U-second. Universial Standard Time approximates one rotation of Aegial to one U-second, with larger conversions listed in the table below.
| 100 U-seconds | 1 U-minute |
| 50 U-minutes | 1 U-hour |
| 25 U-hours | 1 U-day |
| 20 U-days | 1 U-month |
| 10 U-months | 1 U-year |
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