Big ben + time

Andr3w · 26 Jan 2007 at 20:30

Random question here, does big ben hold the time for england, as in are all the times taken from that clock? If not where are our times taken from?

kip02 · 26 Jan 2007 at 20:35

I thought it was the observatory at greenwich hense GMT. May be wrong though

Andr3w · 26 Jan 2007 at 20:35

Hmm that would make more sense lol. anyone?

PhilthyPhil · 26 Jan 2007 at 20:36

No, Big Ben is no where near accurate enough. World time is based on the average of about 300 atomic clocks spread over many national laboratories.

Azagoth · 26 Jan 2007 at 20:36

Royal Observatory Greenwich is where all the Worlds time is taken from.

http://www.rog.nmm.ac.uk/

shine · 26 Jan 2007 at 20:38

kip02 said:
I thought it was the observatory at greenwich hense GMT. May be wrong though

Is correct see here

PhilthyPhil · 26 Jan 2007 at 20:47

GMT stopped being the international standard in 1972, UTC is now used. As I mentioned this is maintained by a network of atomic clocks. It does closely follow GMT but there are some small differences, I think GMT fails to take account of the slowing speed of the earths rotation or something.

shine · 26 Jan 2007 at 20:53

PhilthyPhil said:
GMT stopped being the international standard in 1972, UTC is now used. As I mentioned this is maintained by a network of atomic clocks. It does closely follow GMT but there are some small differences, I think GMT fails to take account of the slowing speed of the earths rotation or something.

Actually you are right except it was 1986 when UTC replaced GMT.

DavidMarq · 26 Jan 2007 at 21:44

andr3w said:
Random question here, does big ben hold the time for england, as in are all the times taken from that clock? If not where are our times taken from?

Big Ben is a bell not a clock.

Puzzled · 26 Jan 2007 at 22:53

PhilthyPhil said:
GMT stopped being the international standard in 1972, UTC is now used. As I mentioned this is maintained by a network of atomic clocks. It does closely follow GMT but there are some small differences, I think GMT fails to take account of the slowing speed of the earths rotation or something.

Why does time need to be that accurate?

Seriously what benefit does this network of atomic clocks give the world, why were they made? :confused:

MarkLP · 26 Jan 2007 at 22:55

MonkeyMan said:
Why does time need to be that accurate?

Seriously what benefit does this network of atomic clocks give the world, why were they made?

Surely, they would get so out of sync that it would be getting dark at noon??

shine · 26 Jan 2007 at 22:57

There's a good explanation here

SDK^ · 26 Jan 2007 at 22:57

MonkeyMan said:
Why does time need to be that accurate?

Seriously what benefit does this network of atomic clocks give the world, why were they made?

A one second difference each year not corrected multiplied over thousands or hundreds of years would mean day time would be dark and summer would be winter

yermum · 26 Jan 2007 at 23:06

Not showing off here or anything, but I have climbed the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster and stood next to Big Ben when it struck 11. One of the most awsome and memorable moments of my life.

Memphis · 26 Jan 2007 at 23:11

MonkeyMan said:
Why does time need to be that accurate?

Seriously what benefit does this network of atomic clocks give the world, why were they made?

Seriously how can you need to ask that question?

PhilthyPhil · 26 Jan 2007 at 23:23

MonkeyMan said:
Why does time need to be that accurate?

Seriously what benefit does this network of atomic clocks give the world, why were they made?

GPS?