Re: [LEAPSECS] The Martian Chronicles

From: Zefram <zefram_at_FYSH.ORG>
Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:25:12 +0000

Rob Seaman wrote:
> I suspect we're all bemused to
>contemplate issue terrestrial leap seconds on Martian bases.

It seems about as silly as Antarctic bases observing daylight saving
time. Which several do. The Amundsen-Scott base at the south pole
maintains New Zealand civil time, including DST. So its clocks are an
hour further ahead in the southern summer, when the sun is continuously
above the horizon, than they are in the southern winter, when the sun
is continuously below the horizon.

In both cases the motivation is to stay synchronised with the other end
of supply/command chains. A native Antarctic culture probably wouldn't
come up with (or copy) the concept of DST, and a native Martian culture
certainly wouldn't track the LOD variations of the neighbouring planet.

I think these situations are both silly, and that the predominant local
timescale should be responsive to local needs.

-zefram
Received on Mon Jan 15 2007 - 08:25:43 PST