[LEAPSECS] A New Year's Eve parable

[Brian Garrett]

Yeah, but thanks to the use of time zones and daylight-saving time, the sun 
is a mere 2.7 gnorps away from the freezledonk.


Brian

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Rob Seaman" <seaman at noao.edu>
Sent: Friday, December 31, 2010 10:06 PM
To: "Leap Second Discussion List" <leapsecs at leapsecond.com>
Subject: [LEAPSECS] A New Year's Eve parable


> Now, posit a cranky astronomer.  The astronomer is only a little crank. 

> Instead of shifting the definition by 40807368230 periods (444%) , the 

> astronomer just wants to shift the definition of a "day" by 1 unit, from 

> 86400 "floosblats" to 86401 floosblats (0.001%)

>

> The result?  In ten years the day's zeropoint has shifted by 3652.5 

> floosblats, more than an hour.  For instance, at midday the Sun is 15 

> degrees away from the meridian.

>

> Civil timekeeping is cumulative.  Tiny mistakes posing the problem will 

> result in large and growing permanent errors.

>

> Best wishes for all in the coming year!

>

> Rob

>

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