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From: @S1-A.ARPA,@MIT-MC.ARPA:FRIEDRITR%VAXJ.GATNET.MFENET@LLL-MFE.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Leap seconds
Message-ID: <2884@mordor.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 31-Jul-85 10:58:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: mordor.2884
Posted: Wed Jul 31 10:58:00 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 2-Aug-85 06:54:36 EDT
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Organization: S-1 Project, LLNL
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From: FRIEDRITR%VAXJ.GATNET.MFENET@LLL-MFE.ARPA



As was pointed out by someone else, the Gregorian calendar is still off by
26 seconds per year, even with the centuries-are-only-leap-years-sometimes
adjustment.  Leap seconds are not to "even out the flaws in the Gregorian
calendar", especially since we have one only every few years (does anyone
know how often, on the average?).  Leap seconds keep our precise 24-hour-
per-day clocks synchronized with the actual rotational period of the Earth,
which exhibits slight variations.

Terry