[LEAPSECS] nails in the coffin of mean solar time

[M. Warner Losh]

In message: <20070615202819.GA16679 at cox.net>
            Greg Hennessy <greg.hennessy at cox.net> writes:

: > Here's one way to consider the question. In the 1960's when

: > leap seconds were first proposed how many astronomers and

: > how many DUT1-impacted telescope installations were there?

: 

: I don't consider this a valid way of considering the question, since

: there are many people other than astronomers who care if lack of leap

: seconds eventually means "noon" is in the middle of the night.


That's a lame argument.  I'm sorry, but it really is.

The definition of the second has changed 3 times during my life time.
There's every reason to believe that the system will change more times
in the coming generations as well.  The current definition of the
second as 1/86400 of a day is in conflict with those pesky Cs atoms.
The earth is a poor clock, and something must give.

Warner