|
 Santa's Global
Travel Tracked by Radar
How Does He Do It in One Night?
Send a link to a friend
[December 24, 2007]
That one day of the year has
come again when youngsters are on their best behavior. They know
that tonight that jolly man in red loads his sleigh and, pulled by
eight tiny reindeer, he makes his way across the world to deliver
presents to all good boys and girls.
The Department of Human Services in cooperation with NORAD will
provide in-flight tracking of Santa this year. Please see
http://www.noradsanta.org/en/home.htm.
|
|
 The earth, being round,
has portions illuminated by the sun (day) at different times in
different parts of the world. Darkness, or night, correspondingly
occurs in opposite places on earth.
Now consider also that the earth rotates constantly, with day and
night happening every 24 hours, but not at the same time anywhere on
earth.
These combined factors lead to a possible explanation of how
Santa is able to make all the deliveries in one night.
Consider one more thing: time. When it is noon here, it is not
noon on the opposite side of the world. To have a means of knowing
what time it is anywhere in the world, a standard has been
established measuring from one location, 0° 0' 0" longitude,
Greenwich, England. Time, as measured using Greenwich Mean Time,
decreases as you travel westward around the globe.
[to top of second column]
 |
Logan County time is west of Greenwich and six hours less than
Greenwich Mean Time, also known as Zulu (Z). When it is noon in
Greenwich, it is 6 a.m. here. By the time you reach the west coast
of the United States, the time difference is eight hours from GMT,
and it continues to decrease as you round the globe.
So, if Santa were to travel westward, he might actually be
doubling his time as he rounds the globe. And, that might be how he
gets to bring gifts to so many good girls and boys in so many places
in this world in one night.
Here's hoping the children in your home were good, and the jolly,
old fellow pays your house a visit.
Merry Christmas!
[LDN]
Where is Greenwich and what is Greenwich Time (GMT)?
http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/
what-is-gmt.htm
What time is it now in Greenwich?
http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/
 |
