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There are many calculators online to convert local time to local sidereal time, but I can't find any resources to convert the other way. Can you convert back by doing the same conversion backwards? I found equations on this website to convert to LST. Would it be valid to use this equation to convert back:

$$ UT = \frac{LST - \frac{L}{15} - 6.697374558 - 2400.051336*T - 0.000025862*T^2)}{1.0027379093} $$

where $UT$ is the time in Universal Coordinated Time, $LST$ is the Local Sidereal Time, $L$ is the longitude, and $T$ is:

$$ T = \frac{JD-2451545.0}{36525.0} $$ where JD is the Julian Date at noon UTC. Once I've calculated the time in UT, I then add or subtract 24 until the result is within 0 - 24 hours. Then I can convert from UT to local time.

I would prefer to have this as accurate as possible. I did a calculation using this, but according to Stellarium I was off by about an hour. Could this be due to Daylight Savings time or something?

Here is the Python code I made to do the calculation.

LST = 8 + ((37 + (5.642/60))/60)
JD0 = 2457813.5
L = - 106.6056
GMST = LST - L/(365/(23 + ((56 + (4.1/60))/60)))
T = (JD0 - 2451545)/36525
UT = (GMST - 6.697374558 - 2400.051336*T - 0.000025862*(T*T))/1.0027379093


while UT <0:
    UT += 24


LT = UT - 7

while LT < 0:
    LT += 24
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  • $\begingroup$ Could you show us your specific calculations? Like you, I suspect DST is the issue. $\endgroup$
    – user21
    Dec 29, 2017 at 3:02
  • $\begingroup$ @barrycarter Sure; I made a Python script to do it. $\endgroup$
    – Phiteros
    Dec 29, 2017 at 20:50

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