Difference Between Mountain Time and Eastern Time

Mountain Time vs Eastern Time
 

The time difference between Mountain Time and Eastern Time, which are two important time zones to North America, is two hours. In fact, Mountain Time and Eastern Time are actually the ways of keeping time as the rest of the world does by following GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) or UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). It is important to note that both Mountain Time and Eastern Time keep time by referring to UTC. Mountain Time can be calculated by subtracting 7 hours from UTC. Eastern Time can be calculated by subtracting 5 hours from UTC. However, these times are adjusted by one hour during the day light saving period. More information about the two time zones will be discussed in this article.

What is Eastern Time?

The Eastern Time (ET) or Eastern Standard Time (EST) is also known as North American Eastern Standard Time. It is the time zone that pertains to the east coast of North America. The clock time in the Eastern Time is based on the mean solar time of the 75th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory in London. This time zone is generically called the Eastern Time Zone (ETZ) in the United States of America and Canada. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) are the specific terms used when observing the standard time and daylight saving time respectively.

Eastern Time is five hours behind the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). That is, Eastern Standard Time (EST) is UTC – 5 hours. During the daylight saving time, Eastern Time is four hours behind the Coordinated Universal Time. That is, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) is UTC – 4 hours.

In the United States of America, 17 states (Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia) and the District of Columbia are entirely situated within the Eastern Time zone. Another 6 states (Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Tennessee) are split between the Central Time zone and the Eastern Time zone. It is important to note that Washington, D.C. also observes only the Eastern Time as it falls under this zone. This is important because Washington D.C is the capital of United States of America. Ontario, Quebec and East central Nunavut in Canada and some countries in Central America are also part of the Eastern Time zone.

What is Mountain Time?

Mountain Time (MT) is also known as Mountain Standard Time (MST) or North American Mountain Standard Time (NAMST). The Mountain Time of North America is the time arrived at by subtracting seven hours from the Coordinated Universal Time during the shortest days in autumn and winter. During this time, Mountain Time is known as Mountain Standard Time (MST), which is  UTC – 7. Then, during the daylight saving time in spring, summer and early autumn, Mountain Time is kept by subtracting six hours from Coordinated Universal Time. You will know that as Mountain Daylight Time (MDT), which is UTC – 6.

Moreover, the clock time in the Mountain Time zone is based on the mean solar time of the 150th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory in London. This time zone is called Mountain Time zone especially in the United States of America and Canada. The name mountain was given to this time zone due to the presence of Rocky Mountains in the zone.

The Mountain Time zone is ahead of the Pacific Time Zone by one hour and is behind the Central Time Zone by one hour.

What is the difference between Mountain Time and Eastern Time?

• The time difference between Mountain Time and Eastern Time is two hours.

• Mountain Time and Eastern Time are two standard time zones in North America.

• The Mountain Time zone is ahead of the Pacific Time Zone by one hour and is behind the Central Time Zone by one hour.

• Mountain Time is arrived at by subtracting 7 hours from the UTC during the shortest days of autumn and winter; UTC – 7.

• During spring, summer, and early autumn, Mountain Time is arrived at by subtracting 6hours from UTC; UTC – 6.

• Eastern Time or ET is arrived at by subtracting 5 hours from UTC during winter. It is known as Eastern Standard Time or EST, which is UTC – 5.

• During daylight saving in summer, ET is 4 hours less than UTC time, that is Eastern Daylight Time or EDT is UTC – 4.

Images Courtesy: Mountain Time Zone via Wikicommons