On Sun, 4 Jan 2015 19:18:41 -0800 (PST), Gerald Kelleher
wrote:

I don't mind the lighthearted poking about imaginary lines however the foundations of navigation using timekeeping developed along a specific path and involves key observations ,some of which were made in antiquity.





I wouldn't worry about it too much. We're probably good for another 100
years or so ....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_clock

The issue is not just the Lat/Long system working in tandem with the 24 hour system but also how the original framework was created by defining the Earth's orbital position in space using an annual astronomical event as Sirius comes into view after a period behind the glare of the Sun. The determination is made using the number of rotations hence it takes 4 annual circuits of the Sun to nail down the number of rotations to a close proportion.

To move the narrative on slightly - as one 24 day elapses into the next 24 hours it maintains a relationship to both the daily and orbital features of the Earth. The Lat/Long system is an extension the line-of-sight observation where a star will skip an appearance by one day and one rotation after four periods of 365 days .

The framework where one 24 hour day and one rotation keeps in step is dependent on the original observation which creates the leap day however this is only the beginning of the narrative.

===

Gerald, I'm curious to know how you happened to discover our little
group here. Welcome. It's good to see a new and relevant topic of
discussion. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for the
folks who made these observations and conclusions in antiquity. In
those days you could be burned at the stake just for stating that the
earth revolved around the sun instead of vice versa. It sometimes
took courage as well as intellect.

As you probably know, careful observation and recording of solar and
planetary motions ultimately paved the way for Newton's theories, and
modern day physics.