Why Two Islands Only 2.4 Miles Apart Have a 21 Hour Time Difference
There are two islands just a mere 2.4 miles (3.8 km) apart in the middle of the Bering Strait between Alaska and Siberia, but going from one to the other would put you almost a full day ahead or behind, depending on which island you were going to.
The two islands in question are the Diomede Islands, which are separated by the International Date Line, the marker when one calendar day begins and the other ends. One island on the Russian side, called Big Diomede, sits 2.4 miles (3.8 km) away from the other island, Little Diomede, on the Alaskan, United States side.
Big Diomede is technically 21 hours (20 hours in the summer) ahead of Little Diomede despite the short distance apart. In winter, an ice bridge forms between the islands, making it technically possible to walk between them. In the summer, someone could kayak or sail between them. It’s illegal to go from one island to the other, however. Big Diomede is sometimes referred to as “Tomorrow Island,” and Little Diomede is referred to as “Yesterday Island” because of their vast time difference.
