Hold onto your hats because this time dilation stuff can get a little confusing
Today is November 7, 2024 and it has been just under an hour and a half since Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi classic Interstellar was released.
Now you would be a liar if you said that sentence didn’t confuse you just a little bit.
But that is more than fair, while Christopher Nolan can make an enthralling blockbuster, the man’s fascination with time tinkering can make his films a little more difficult to follow.
The Matthew McConaughey-led film is a great example of just how things can get confusing when it comes to time.
Now for any fan of the flick, you are more than aware the film didn’t *actually* drop today, as you would barely have had a chance to watch the film let alone read about it.
But I’m not talking about the film’s release date in our time – I’m talking Interstellar time… try and stay with me on this one.
If the film showed us anything it’s that when you involve blackholes and wormholes, and all manner of science fiction, time becomes less straightforward and a little more wibbly wobbly, a little more timey wimey.
For example, on Miller’s Planet, the infamous water planet orbiting the black hole Gargantua where the Endurance first splashes down, one hour is equal to seven Earth years.
So, if we calculate the film’s release, based on that time frame, then it’s been approximately 1.43 hours (1 hour and 25.8 minutes) since we were introduced to McConaughey’s character, Cooper.
Stay with us here… (Melinda Sue Gordon/Paramount Pictures/Warner Bros.)
Interstellar time: how the math works
If you do have your doubts, or want to work out more calculations, a Screen Rant report broke down the math back in August.
The math: Number of hours in 10 Earth years: 87,660 hours
One hour on Miller’s planet is equivalent to seven Earth years, which is equal to 61,320 hours (7 X 365.25 X 24 = 61,320).
Number of hours passed on Miller’s planet = 10 years of Earth hours (87660) / Number of Earth hours per hour on Miller’s planet (61320) = 1.429 hours = 1 hour and 25.8 minutes.
Go give the film another watch now, its even better than you remember (Melinda Sue Gordon/Paramount Pictures/Warner Bros.)
Luckily, most of us will probably never experience the time slippage Cooper, Romilly and the rest of the crew had to come to terms with, but the difference between the passing of time in the film versus in real life is certainly a tough one to wrap your head around.
If you claim the film was only released about an hour and a half ago , then it’s much more acceptable for you to still be confused about it.
At least, that’s what we can tell ourselves.
Featured Image Credit: Warner Bros.
