[SOC] Atomic clocks vs. earthquakes

[Michael Coslo]

On 3/9/10 9:05 PM, "Carl Strode" <crstrode at charter.net> wrote:

> Geez, Mike - you really are SOC.
> 
> Michael Coslo wrote:  "So any clock that is that accurate will
> constantly have to be adjusted".
> 
> If it is accurate, a clock does NOT need to be adjusted
> 
> The speed of the Earth's rotation, or the tilt of it's axis, or any thing else
> under the sun has nothing to do with the passage of time.
> 
> If the Solar system disappeared, or (heaven forbid) each and every SOC
> vanished, time would still march on.
> 
> A second is a second is a second.

While I'd claim SOC status about the backwards way I wrote it, an extremely
accurate clock will be at constant odds with our calendars. It's why we
insert leap seconds into most years, which helps to keep our computers and
GPS and stuff like that accurate. And that's in addition to leap days every
four years.

I actually watched a leap second being inserted. The clock went to 23:59:59,
then stayed there an extra second, then rolled over to 00:00:00.

Man, you can't buy excitement like that!


- 73 de Mike N3LI -