what is the difference between utc and pst?

When dealing with time zones, it is important to understand the difference between Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) and Pacific Standard Time (PST). While the two terms are often used interchangeably, understanding the difference between them can be important for many operations.

Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. UTC is sometimes referred to as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) because it was originally based on an astronomical observation taken at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. UTC is a coordinated international effort by many nations internationally to set their clocks in sync with one another. It is not affected by Daylight savings or seasonal changes, and remains constant throughout the year.

Pacific Standard Time (PST), on the other hand, is a region-specific time zone found in North America that runs 8 hours behind UTC. PST only applies to the contiguous United States and Canada's Pacific Coast region, unlike UTC which covers all of Earth's time zones. While PST follows Daylight Savings conventions from March to November, its offset from UTC remains constant throughout these months being eight hours behind UTC time.

For example, if it is 2:00pm PST on April 21st, then it would be 10:00pm UTC on April 21st. Similarly if it was 5:00am PST in December 25th it would be 1:00pm UTC on December 25th. Knowing this information can be essential when dealing with scheduling events or activities across different regions of North America as many operations might need to adjust their schedules according to the time difference between them and their desired location's applicable time zone.

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