A Space & astronomy forum. SpaceBanter.com

Go Back   Home » SpaceBanter.com forum » Astronomy and Astrophysics » Amateur Astronomy
Site Map Home Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

To Leap or Not to Leap: Scientists debate a timely issue



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old April 22nd 06, 02:04 PM posted to sci.geo.satellite-nav,sci.astro.amateur,sci.physics
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default To Leap or Not to Leap: Scientists debate a timely issue

[Science & Society]
To Leap or Not to Leap: Scientists debate a timely issue

Scientists are debating whether to continue the practice of
occasionally inserting leap seconds in order to keep official,
atomic-based time in sync with time based on Earth's rotation.

http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20060422/bob8.asp
  #2  
Old April 22nd 06, 06:06 PM posted to sci.geo.satellite-nav,sci.astro.amateur,sci.physics
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default To Leap or Not to Leap: Scientists debate a timely issue

Funny,funny,funny.

Leap seconds are based on the calendar system and they were adding 86
400 of these leap seconds every fourth year since antiquity and found
it necessary to make further adjustments in the middle ages like taking
away 864 000 seconds (10 days).

What they have'nt done since the discovery of the Earth's axial
rotation is mix the 24 hour clock system and the Earth's rotation at 15
degrees per hour with the calendrical system which requires 'leap'
corrections.

It is very easy to understand the principles which keep the pace of a
clock fixed to axial rotation at 15 degrees per hour.The pre-Copernican
astronomers recognised that the total length of the day is never the
same so they created a system to equalise the variations over the
course of a year.Using the noon observation they applied a correction
of minutes and seconds to keep one 24 hour day rolling into the next 24
hour day.The correction is known as the Equation of Time.

When Copernicus and the early heliocentric astronomers introduced the
concept of the axial rotation of the Earth,they simply divided the
Earth and 24 hours into terrestial longitudes corresponding to 1
degree every four minutes,15 degrees every hour and 24 hours 360
degrees in total.It has nothing to do with the Earth's motion to the
stars but try and tell that to these numbskulls.

So Sam,go tell the experts that although the Equation of Time has faded
into the background,it still keeps one 24 hour day elapsing into the
next 24 hour day.You can even build a calendar system on that principle
but for goodness sake,do not make the mistake of linking axial rotation
to the stars otherwise you are justifying the Earth's motions using a
system of 3 years of 365 days and 1 year of 366 days !!!!.

  #3  
Old April 22nd 06, 06:40 PM posted to sci.geo.satellite-nav,sci.astro.amateur,sci.physics
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default To Leap or Not to Leap: Scientists debate a timely issue

oriel36 wrote:

What they have'nt done since the discovery of the Earth's axial
rotation is mix the 24 hour clock system and the Earth's rotation at 15
degrees per hour with the calendrical system which requires 'leap'
corrections.


Your grasp of punctuation is truly...unique.

Jim
--
Find me at : http://www.ursaminorbeta.co.uk
AIM/iChatAV: JCAndrew2
Skype : greyarea
  #4  
Old April 22nd 06, 09:59 PM posted to sci.geo.satellite-nav,sci.astro.amateur,sci.physics
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default To Leap or Not to Leap: Scientists debate a timely issue

Does anybody really know what time it is?


  #5  
Old April 22nd 06, 10:15 PM posted to sci.geo.satellite-nav,sci.astro.amateur,sci.physics
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default To Leap or Not to Leap: Scientists debate a timely issue

Bg Harve wrote:
Does anybody really know what time it is?



Does anybody really care?
  #6  
Old April 22nd 06, 11:23 PM posted to sci.geo.satellite-nav,sci.astro.amateur,sci.physics
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default To Leap or Not to Leap: Scientists debate a timely issue

starburst wrote:
Bg Harve wrote:
Does anybody really know what time it is?



Does anybody really care?


Hey! If you two guys take those two lines, and add a few others, you
just might have the makings of a hit song there . . .

If someone hadn't beaten it to you first. (^_^)

Sincerely,
--- Dave Nakamoto
========================================
Miller's Daughter --- There, I was visited by a bizarre, strange imp of
a man.
Sam Shovel --- Pee Wee Herman?
Miller's Daughter --- Not THAT strange.
  #7  
Old April 23rd 06, 07:51 AM posted to sci.geo.satellite-nav,sci.astro.amateur,sci.physics
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default To Leap or Not to Leap: Scientists debate a timely issue



Jim wrote:

oriel36 wrote:

What they have'nt done since the discovery of the Earth's axial
rotation is mix the 24 hour clock system and the Earth's rotation at 15
degrees per hour with the calendrical system which requires 'leap'
corrections.


Your grasp of punctuation is truly...unique.


You are replying to a computer program, not a human. Those who insist
on doing that often end up in the same killfile as the chatterbot.

 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
And the Earth warmers sobbed Rich Amateur Astronomy 108 November 9th 05 02:31 AM
U.S. Wants To End the Link Between Time and Sun MrPepper11 Amateur Astronomy 20 August 4th 05 03:43 PM
UA's Cassini Scientists Ready for First Close Titan Flyby er Amateur Astronomy 0 October 26th 04 07:14 AM
UA's Cassini Scientists Ready for First Close Titan Flyby Ron Astronomy Misc 0 October 25th 04 08:35 PM
Scientists Discover Ganymede Has A Lumpy Interior Ron Astronomy Misc 0 August 13th 04 09:49 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:23 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 SpaceBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.