Xref: utzoo sci.astro:2341 comp.dcom.modems:2056 rec.ham-radio:5245
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!cs.utexas.edu!ut-sally!nather
From: nather@ut-sally.UUCP (Ed Nather)
Newsgroups: sci.astro,comp.dcom.modems,rec.ham-radio
Subject: Re: N.B.S. Time Service
Keywords: Time Ticks
Message-ID: <12256@ut-sally.UUCP>
Date: 2 Jul 88 15:27:41 GMT
References: <455@trane.UUCP> <303@macomw.ARPA> <56@stanton.TCC.COM> <12277@mimsy.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: U. Texas CS Dept., Austin, Texas
Lines: 15

In article <12277@mimsy.UUCP>, fred@mimsy.UUCP (Fred Blonder) writes:
> 
> The Naval Observatory is , by law, the time standard for the country,
> so their clock is, by definition, absolutely correct. 

That's good to know, since it solves a basic research problem I'm facing.
I've been watching a variable white dwarf (G117-B15A) for several years,
waiting to see a tiny change in its frequency that would denote secular
cooling.  Data in hand show it to be constant to about 1 part in 10e+15.
[repeat: 10e+15] This is about the limit of accuracy claimed by the NBS
time service, so I was worried: If I see a chnage was it the star or NBS?

Now I'll just check the Naval Observatory time, and I'll KNOW.

It's nice to have the law on your side ...