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July 1, 2012

The Long Weekend

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The world is about to get a well-earned long weekend but don't make big plans because it will only last an extra second.
A so-called "leap second" will be added to the world's atomic clocks as they undergo a rare adjustment to keep them in step with the slowing rotation of the Earth. To achieve the adjustment, on Saturday night atomic clocks will read 23 hours, 59 minutes and 60 seconds before moving on to midnight Greenwich Mean Time. -- Guardian

Posted by gerardvanderleun at July 1, 2012 8:53 AM. This is an entry on the sideblog of American Digest: Check it out.

Your Say

The Earth's rotation is slowing because of the gravitational attraction of the Moon. The Moon's orbit is slowly spiraling outwards. The Moon already is gravitationally locked to Earth and keeps the same face towards us. Eventually the Moon's orbit will expand and Earth's rotation will slow to the point where Earth keeps the same face pointed towards the Moon, and the day and month will be of equal length.

This will take many billions of years; I don't remember exactly how many. It's possible that the Sun will become a red giant before then, in which case both Earth and Moon will be swallowed up by it.

Posted by: rickl at July 1, 2012 10:03 AM

rickl - If that's the case, I'm not buying any more green bananas.

Posted by: BillH at July 1, 2012 10:12 AM

The moon is four feet farther out than when Neil did his moonwalk. This is getting out of control. Call the Sierra Club.

Posted by: james wilson at July 1, 2012 10:49 AM

Under Obama's pretend energy policy, we don't have enough fuel to get there and back. I wonder if windmills will work?

Posted by: Peccable at July 1, 2012 2:48 PM

James, I didn't think it was that much but after doing some (mis)calculations I think it might be closer to five feet. Better put the Sierra Club on speed dial.
The moon moves away from the earth about 1.5 inches a year. (3.8 centimeters)
Man landed on the moon 43 years ago.
43×1.5 = 64.5 inches
64.5÷12 = 5.37 feet

Posted by: DoubleU at July 2, 2012 6:53 AM

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