What could you do with an extra second this year? Invent some new technology that will change the world? Wink at that guy across the room? We're about to find out tonight, for the countdown should sound something like, "5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1 ... 0! Happy New Year!" This New Year's Eve, 2008 will end at 11:59:60 (23:59:60, for those inclined toward military time), instead of at 11:59:59. So be sure to save your New Year's smooch and slurp from the champagne toast an extra second and savor the moment while it lasts.
Due to the overall slowing of the Earth's rotation, every few years, an average of a full second has to be added to the certified Universal Coordinated Time, which is the basis for global time systems. This update occurs so that civil time is more attuned to astronomical time, which is based on the rate of the Earth's rotation. So while the Earth is slowing down, atomic clocks maintain a steady rate. Hence the concept of adding the leap second to atomic clocks ... and this time around to a Leap Year, no less. Who knew 2008 was such a year of leaps?
Here in the U.S., this adjustment means updating the country's atomic clocks, half of which are housed in a vault at the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. These clocks serve as the official source of time for the U.S government, the Department of Defense, Global Positioning Systems, and the U.S. Standard of Time.
As a side note, if you're familiar with your governmental factoids, you know that the Naval Observatory is also home to the Vice President, at Number One Observatory Circle. You read that correctly. Dick Cheney has the potential power, based on his proximity and position, to control time. Think about that for a second.
Suggested Sites...
- Wikipedia: Leap Second - discover all the specific facts surrounding the one-second adjustment.
- 2008 Will Be Just a Second Longer - LiveScience article explaining the relationship of the Earth's rotation and atomic clocks.
- New Year's Eve 2009 - a guide to New Year parties, events, travel, and more.
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