What is the difference between a sidereal day and a solar day?

Answer by  LouB (294)

Solar day is roughly 24 hours and is the time that it takes the sun to go past the same spot twice. Sidereal is two passes of the fixed stars.

Answer by  7places (36)

A solar day is the time it takes for the sun to pass the exact same spot again, while a sidereal day is the time it takes a fixed star to pass the exact same spot again. Both take about 24 hrs with the sidereal a few minutes less.

Answer by  Sue82 (30)

Time from one day to the next day is 24 hours — one solar day. A sidereal day, in other words, is four minutes shorter than a solar day.

Answer by  ilango (226)

In geographical terms sideral day is the time it takes for the Earth to turn 360 degrees in relation to the distant stars Approximately 24 hrs. The solar day is the time it takes for the sun to cross cross the meridian. the main difference is based on star and noon. approximately both are same time i.e 24 hrs.