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Old December 24th 09, 04:29 AM posted to alt.astronomy
Dan Birchall[_3_]
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Posts: 173
Default To Get an Understanding of the Speed of Earth's Rotation

(Jeff) wrote:
"One second after the sun sets where you are, the sun will set
approximately two blocks away. So, nightfall is moving at about two blocks
per second or 750 miles per hour, which is just about the speed of sound."

From the Outer Space section of
www.worlds-strangest-website.com

Wow. They take a statement that may be true for a specific latitude
at a specific time of year, and extrapolate it into something glaringly
inaccurate, where nightfall only moves at 75% of the speed at which
Earth rotates. Impressive.

--
djb@ | Dan Birchall, Night Operation Assistant, Subaru Telescope/NAOJ.
naoj | Views I express are my own, obviously not those of my employer.
..org | I only wear black so much because I can't find anything darker.