Royal Astronomical Society Statement On The Proposed Abolition OfLeap Seconds

RAS Statement On The Proposed Abolition Of Leap Seconds
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/time-05g.html

In November 2005, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) will
be discussing a proposal to abolish leap seconds.

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) strongly recommends that this
proposal should be shelved, and that, before any changes are
implemented, there should be a broader, public debate on the future use
of these small adjustments to our annual time-keeping.

Our scientific understanding of time has developed over several
centuries. Today, scientists recognize that there are two distinct
requirements for time-keeping:

o absolute time-keeping, now based on high precision atomic clocks;
o everyday time-keeping, based on the rotation of the Earth (solar time).
This is called Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

Leap seconds are small adjustments to UTC, which keep ordinary clock
time synchronized with the rotation of Earth and thus with the location
of the Sun in the sky. They were introduced in 1972 as a reasonable
compromise to serve both needs.

There have been 21 leap seconds since 1972 and the next is planned at
the end of 2005. Their use is determined by the International Earth
Rotation Service, which is sponsored by scientific bodies including the
International Astronomical Union.

However, there is now a proposal to abolish leap seconds from December
2007. This proposal will be discussed by the International
Telecommunications Union (ITU) at a meeting in Geneva in November 2005.

See: http://www.spacedaily.com/news/time-05g.html

Sam Wormley wrote in
news:vlG_e.374728$_o.50942@attbi_s71:

RAS Statement On The Proposed Abolition Of Leap Seconds
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/time-05g.html

In November 2005, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) will
be discussing a proposal to abolish leap seconds.

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) strongly recommends that this
proposal should be shelved, and that, before any changes are
implemented, there should be a broader, public debate on the future use
of these small adjustments to our annual time-keeping.

That's a much more polite way to tell them than I would have used ;-)

Klazmon.

SNIP

Llanzlan Klazmon writes:

Sam Wormley wrote in
news:vlG_e.374728$_o.50942@attbi_s71:

RAS Statement On The Proposed Abolition Of Leap Seconds
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/time-05g.html

In November 2005, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) will
be discussing a proposal to abolish leap seconds.

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) strongly recommends that this
proposal should be shelved, and that, before any changes are
implemented, there should be a broader, public debate on the future use
of these small adjustments to our annual time-keeping.

That's a much more polite way to tell them than I would have used ;-)


Astronomers are cranky beacuse they are no longer the timekeepers on
earth. Replace the leapsecond by a leaphour and gain a much better UTC
timescale. Ordinary people do not care about daylight savings coming
and going. No one will notice. Astronomers can contiue to use UT1 or
whatever they are using today. Saying that +-0.9sek is good enough
when current timekeeping deals with nanoseconds is a (bad)joke.

Leapseconds is a hassle since their application is not known more than
some months in advance. Current clocks can easily run autonomous for
a very long time, but to follow UTC they (at this time) need manual
intervention or a datalink to the outside just to monitor for
leapseconds.

--
Björn

Bjorn Gabrielsson wrote:
Llanzlan Klazmon writes:


Sam Wormley wrote in
news:vlG_e.374728$_o.50942@attbi_s71:


RAS Statement On The Proposed Abolition Of Leap Seconds
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/time-05g.html

In November 2005, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) will
be discussing a proposal to abolish leap seconds.

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) strongly recommends that this
proposal should be shelved, and that, before any changes are
implemented, there should be a broader, public debate on the future use
of these small adjustments to our annual time-keeping.

That's a much more polite way to tell them than I would have used ;-)



Astronomers are cranky beacuse they are no longer the timekeepers on
earth. Replace the leapsecond by a leaphour and gain a much better UTC
timescale. Ordinary people do not care about daylight savings coming
and going. No one will notice. Astronomers can contiue to use UT1 or
whatever they are using today. Saying that +-0.9sek is good enough
when current timekeeping deals with nanoseconds is a (bad)joke.

Leapseconds is a hassle since their application is not known more than
some months in advance.

I knew in July that there would be a leap second at the end of December
and I don't see how it's hassle since my computers, clocks, and GPS
gear automatically compensate!


Current clocks can easily run autonomous for
a very long time, but to follow UTC they (at this time) need manual
intervention or a datalink to the outside just to monitor for
leapseconds.

--
Björn

Sam Wormley writes:

I knew in July that there would be a leap second at the end of December
and I don't see how it's hassle since my computers, clocks, and GPS
gear automatically compensate!


Are you sure? It has been five years since the last one. Not bought any
new computer programs, clocks etc during that timeframe? Sure every
programmer have got every little detail correct?

Knowing in July is not only a good thing, since this is much earlier
than the announcements used to be. Some gear has been reported to
expect the leapsecond at a false date due to this.

Leapseconds does make timekeeping more interesting... maybe they
should stay... ;-)

--

Björn

Sam Wormley:
I knew in July that there would be a leap second at the end of December
and I don't see how it's hassle since my computers, clocks, and GPS
gear automatically compensate!

Bjorn Gabrielsson:
Are you sure? It has been five years since the last one. Not bought any
new computer programs, clocks etc during that timeframe? Sure every
programmer have got every little detail correct?

Pretty sure. Computers don't depend on individual pieces of software
for timekeeping -- only a utility that sets the system clock according
to a time server -- which will be aware of the leap second. Thus, they
can deal with leap seconds or days without a fuss. Even my little Sony
alarm clock sets itself automatically via a radio signal from WWV. Any
clock in my possession that does not automatically set itself in this
fashion is probably not sufficiently accurate for a second to matter.

Davoud

--
usenet *at* davidillig dawt com

So bascily majority of people do nothing right?

I'm Cranky now

What benefit is it to not make sure that time signals ARE NOT ACCURATE?
I'm sorry but this sounds like another idea direct from the office of :

"It doesn't matter if I'm wrong, I'm going to do it anyway"

Also known as:

"The current "Resident" of1600 Pennsylvania Ave!"

....Ed Murray

In article ,
Bjorn Gabrielsson wrote:

Llanzlan Klazmon writes:

Sam Wormley wrote in
news:vlG_e.374728$_o.50942@attbi_s71:

RAS Statement On The Proposed Abolition Of Leap Seconds
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/time-05g.html

In November 2005, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) will
be discussing a proposal to abolish leap seconds.

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) strongly recommends that this
proposal should be shelved, and that, before any changes are
implemented, there should be a broader, public debate on the future use
of these small adjustments to our annual time-keeping.

That's a much more polite way to tell them than I would have used ;-)


Astronomers are cranky beacuse they are no longer the timekeepers on
earth. Replace the leapsecond by a leaphour and gain a much better UTC
timescale. Ordinary people do not care about daylight savings coming
and going. No one will notice. Astronomers can contiue to use UT1 or
whatever they are using today. Saying that +-0.9sek is good enough
when current timekeeping deals with nanoseconds is a (bad)joke.

Leapseconds is a hassle since their application is not known more than
some months in advance. Current clocks can easily run autonomous for
a very long time, but to follow UTC they (at this time) need manual
intervention or a datalink to the outside just to monitor for
leapseconds.

--
Bjvrn

Such datalinks are quite common nowadays - ever heard about radio
controlled clocks? They adjust themselves automatically once an hour
from radio time signals in the LF band (30-300 kHz), and they also
switch automatically between standard and summer time.

I have a few of them.

--
----------------------------------------------------------------
Paul Schlyter, Grev Turegatan 40, SE-114 38 Stockholm, SWEDEN
e-mail: pausch at stockholm dot bostream dot se
WWW: http://stjarnhimlen.se/

In article , (Paul Schlyter) writes:
In article ,
Bjorn Gabrielsson wrote:

Llanzlan Klazmon writes:

Sam Wormley wrote in
news:vlG_e.374728$_o.50942@attbi_s71:

RAS Statement On The Proposed Abolition Of Leap Seconds
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/time-05g.html

In November 2005, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) will
be discussing a proposal to abolish leap seconds.

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) strongly recommends that this
proposal should be shelved, and that, before any changes are
implemented, there should be a broader, public debate on the future use
of these small adjustments to our annual time-keeping.

That's a much more polite way to tell them than I would have used ;-)


Astronomers are cranky beacuse they are no longer the timekeepers on
earth. Replace the leapsecond by a leaphour and gain a much better UTC
timescale. Ordinary people do not care about daylight savings coming
and going. No one will notice. Astronomers can contiue to use UT1 or
whatever they are using today. Saying that +-0.9sek is good enough
when current timekeeping deals with nanoseconds is a (bad)joke.

Leapseconds is a hassle since their application is not known more than
some months in advance. Current clocks can easily run autonomous for
a very long time, but to follow UTC they (at this time) need manual
intervention or a datalink to the outside just to monitor for
leapseconds.

--
Bjvrn

Such datalinks are quite common nowadays - ever heard about radio
controlled clocks? They adjust themselves automatically once an hour
from radio time signals in the LF band (30-300 kHz), and they also
switch automatically between standard and summer time.

I have a few of them.

9.95$ will buy you one. 19.95$, if you want one that'll last for a
while. No big deal.

Mati Meron | "When you argue with a fool,
| chances are he is doing just the same"