How to Use Our Time Converter
We made this tool as easy as possible. There are no complicated buttons.
- Enter Your Value: Type the number you want to convert into the “Value to Convert” box (e.g.,
1.5). - Select ‘From’ Unit: In the “From” dropdown, choose the unit you’re starting with (e.g.,
hour (h)). - Select ‘To’ Unit: In the “To” dropdown, pick the unit you want to convert to (e.g.,
second (s)). - Click “Calculate”: The tool will instantly give you the precise answer (e.g.,
5400 s).
Need to go again?
- Click “Clear” to reset the fields for a new calculation.
- Click the “Swap” (↔) button to instantly flip your “From” and “To” units.
Why So Many Ways to Measure Time?
It’s all about having the right-sized clock for the job. You wouldn’t use a stopwatch to measure your age, and you wouldn’t use a calendar to time a 100-meter dash.
We’ve included a huge range of units to cover every possible need, which generally fall into three groups:
1. The Super-Fast (For Science & Tech)
When you’re dealing with computers, physics, or chemistry, things happen incredibly fast.
- Nanosecond (ns): One billionth of a second. This is used to measure the speed of computer processors and the time it takes light to travel about 1 foot (30 cm).
- Microsecond (μs): One millionth of a second.
- Millisecond (ms): One thousandth of a second. This is often used in video games to measure “ping” or network lag.
2. The Everyday (For Human Life)
These are the units we live by. They’re based on the rotation of the Earth and its orbit around the sun.
- Second (s)
- Minute (min)
- Hour (h)
- Day (d)
- Week (wk)
- Month (mo)
- Year (yr)
3. The Super-Long (For History & the Cosmos)
When you want to talk about the age of a civilization or the lifespan of a star, you need bigger measuring sticks.
- Decade (dec): 10 years
- Century (c): 100 years
- Millennium: 1,000 years
A Quick Guide to the “Weird” Units
You’ll notice a few strange units in our calculator. They’re for very specific, (and very cool) jobs.
What is Sidereal Time?
This is “star time.” It’s used by astronomers to know where to point their telescopes.
- A “Solar Day” (our normal day): 24 hours. This is the time it takes for the Earth to rotate so the Sun appears in the same spot in the sky.
- A “Sidereal Day” (star day): 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds. This is the true time it takes for the Earth to spin 360 degrees relative to the distant stars.
Why the difference? As the Earth spins, it’s also orbiting the Sun. It has to spin a little extra (about 4 minutes worth) for the Sun to “catch up” to the same position.
What is a “Shake”?
This is one of the best unit names ever. A “shake” is a real, (though informal) unit of time used by nuclear physicists.
- 1 shake = 10 nanoseconds.
- Origin: It comes from the phrase “in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.” During the Manhattan Project, physicists needed a quick, easy-to-say name for the tiny timeframe of a nuclear chain reaction (which is about 10 nanoseconds). And so, the “shake” was born.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: How long is a “month” in this calculator?
A: Since months have different lengths (28, 29, 30, or 31 days), it’s not a fixed unit. For a calculator to work, it must use a standard. We use the average month, which is 1/12th of a year. This comes out to about 30.44 days.
Q: What’s the difference between a “year” and a “sidereal year”?
A: A standard “year” (also called a tropical year) is what our calendar is based on. It’s the time it takes for the seasons to repeat (about 365.2425 days). A “sidereal year” is the time it takes for the Earth to complete one full orbit around the Sun relative to the fixed stars. It’s about 20 minutes longer than a standard year.
Q: Why does my answer have so many decimals?
A: Because many units don’t divide cleanly into each other! For example, 1 hour is exactly 0.04166666… days. Our calculator gives you the most precise decimal answer rather than rounding, so you can use it for accurate calculations.
Q: What is the difference between a year and a sidereal year?
A: A standard “year” (also called a tropical year) is the time it takes for the sun to return to the same position in the sky, which is 365.2425 days. This is what our calendars are based on. A “sidereal year” is the time it takes the Earth to orbit the sun relative to the fixed stars. It’s slightly longer, at about 365.256 days.
Q: How is a “month” calculated in this tool?
A: This is a tricky one! Since months have different lengths (28, 30, or 31 days), a “month” isn’t a fixed unit of time. For calculation purposes, this tool (and most scientific contexts) uses an average month. We define 1 month as 1/12th of a year (365.2425 days), which comes out to about 30.44 days or 2,629,746 seconds.
Q: Why does my calculation show a long decimal?
A: This happens when you convert between units that don’t divide evenly, especially when using averages like “month” or “year.” For example, 1 hour is exactly 0.0416666… days. Our calculator gives you the most precise number possible rather than rounding.