Re: what should a time standard encompass?

From: Ken Pizzini <ken_at_halcyon.com>
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 17:26:42 -0800

On Fri, Jan 24, 2003 at 03:00:03AM -0800, Ken Pizzini wrote:
> (1)
[...]
> but it is
> uncommon for any direct local-apparent-noon to local-apparent-noon
> observation of a day to match the duration of a "mean solar day"
> with millisecond precision. (By careful selection of observation
> point based on the precise time-of-equinox one can be sure to
> observe two such matches each year, but each equinox will require
> a different selection of observation location loci; for any fixed
> location the precise matchup is rather rare.)

Ugh... the references to equinox there are bogus. For any day of the
year one can find some locus of points on the earth's surface where
local-apparent-noon-to-local-apparent-noon will have a duration of
one mean solar day. I still believe my claim that for any fixed position
it will be a rare event when the two match up to any high degree of
precision, though I am now doubting my geometric intuitions...

                --Ken Pizzini
Received on Fri Jan 24 2003 - 17:27:16 PST