How to obtain the current UTC time using the UTC_TIME() function?

UTC_TIME(prec) is a MySQL built-in function that returns the current UTC time. For example:

SELECT UTC_TIME(6), NOW(6), @@system_time_zone;
  -- +-----------------+----------------------------+--------------------+
  -- | UTC_TIME(6)     | NOW(6)                     | @@system_time_zone |
  -- +-----------------+----------------------------+--------------------+
  -- | 04:20:09.755859 | 2023-11-15 23:20:09.755859 | EST                |
  -- +-----------------+----------------------------+--------------------+

Reference information of the UTC_TIME() function:

UTC_TIME(prec): time
  Returns the current UTC time as a value in 'hh:mm:ss' or hhmmss
  format, depending on whether the function is used in string or numeric
  context.

Arguments, return value and availability:
  prec: Optional. Default is 0. The precision of fractional seconds.
  time: Return value. The current UTC time.
  Available since MySQL 4.

Related MySQL functions:

• UTC_DATE() - Current UTC Date
• UTC_TIMESTAMP() - Current UTC Timestamp

⇒ UTC_TIMESTAMP() - Current UTC Timestamp

⇐ UTC_DATE() - Current UTC Date

⇑ MySQL Functions on Date and Time

⇑⇑ MySQL Function References