F-ckin Leap Seconds, how do they work?

Tony Finch dot at dotat.at
Tue Jul 3 21:24:39 UTC 2012


Owen DeLong <owen at delong.com> wrote:
>
> Since we have a tradition of measuring diurnal and other repetitive
> cycles (days) based on the rotation of the earth, we end up with fudge
> factors to make that line up with months from time to time. (leap
> seconds).

That is not what leap seconds are.

Leap seconds are to align the artificial and very stable atomic timescale
with the irregular and slowing rotation of the earth.

Tony.
-- 
f.anthony.n.finch  <dot at dotat.at>  http://dotat.at/
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