ltdiver 3 #1 December 28, 2005 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4562194.stm New Year 'delayed' by leap second Scientists are delaying the start of the new year by adding the first "leap second" in seven years. The Paris Observatory said an extra second would be added to clocks worldwide at the stroke of midnight on 31 December. Leap seconds are required every so often to keep our clocks in sync with solar time used by astronomers. "Enjoy New Year's Eve a second longer," said the researchers at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology. Tidal friction The International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service, based at the Paris Observatory, tells the world every six months whether to add or subtract a second from atomic clocks, the standard for everyday timekeeping. A leap second is added to Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) to keep it in step with solar time - based on the Earth's rotation on itself - to within a second. Tidal friction causes the Earth's rotation to slow down, which means that solar time tends to drift out of sync with atomic clocks. If this disparity was not corrected, the error could increase to several seconds within a few decades; and would very quickly make software and possibly hardware used by astronomers obsolete. There have been 22 leap seconds added - and no subtractions - since the first one on 30 June, 1972. The new leap second will be inserted at the end of the final minute of 2005, giving the familiar "six pip" BBC radio time signal an extra pip before the long pip marking the hour. Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
foxyroxtail 0 #2 December 28, 2005 This is the ultimate example of "if you blink, you'll miss it" ! ________________________________________ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scoop 0 #3 December 28, 2005 Yeah, I though my bodyclock was running a little bit out. It all makes sense now. Ah well, Ill stop worrying about it now Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #4 December 28, 2005 QuoteThis is the ultimate example of "if you blink, you'll miss it" ! Or in mine or Randy's case....if you wink! ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
foxyroxtail 0 #5 December 28, 2005 QuoteQuoteThis is the ultimate example of "if you blink, you'll miss it" ! Or in mine or Randy's case....if you wink! ltdiver HEEHEE!!! So, when I got back from JFTC, my sister & I were up at my Mom's the very next weekend. She said they had found the perfect T for Randy and the boys got it for him for Christmas. When she said what was on it, I said "does it have a black neck and sleaves on a white shirt?" It was perfect! And his size. ________________________________________ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buried 0 #6 December 28, 2005 great, now i'm going to have to reset all my clocks back a second Where is my fizzy-lifting drink? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #7 December 29, 2005 Quotegreat, now i'm going to have to reset all my clocks back a second If you have an atomic clock, won't it set itself? ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #8 December 29, 2005 QuoteI said "does it have a black neck and sleaves on a white shirt?" It was perfect! And his size. We're twins! Look forward to see you two again someday soon! ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #9 December 29, 2005 So this means I'll be to work early on Monday, if I don't reset my clocks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Girlfalldown 0 #10 December 29, 2005 Quotegreat, now i'm going to have to reset all my clocks back a second What a pain in the ass. Damn govornment is always messing with my sleep pattern. -------------- (Do not, I repeat DO NOT, take my posts seriously.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,111 #11 December 29, 2005 You think that's bad? If we ever start living on Mars, we'll have to have a 'leap half hour' every day - the Mars day is 24 hours 37 minutes long. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RevJim 0 #12 December 29, 2005 QuoteYou think that's bad? If we ever start living on Mars, we'll have to have a 'leap half hour' every day - the Mars day is 24 hours 37 minutes long. Nah. If a day is truely 24 hours long everywhere, mars hours, minutes, and seconds are just a tad bit faster than ours. It's your life, live it! Karma RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
