Here in Fauquier County, Noon was at 11:53 a.m. Today
Local noon, that is, when the sun reached its highest (apparent) position in the sky.
On November 18, 1883, American railroads adopted a uniform system of time designation, dividing the United States and Canada into five time zones. "Noon" was measured at 75, 90, 105 and 120 degrees west of Greenwich for the Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific time zones, respectively.
Before the advent of relatively high-speed, long-distance railroad travel, it hadn't mattered a whole lot to people in Philadelphia what time folks in Pittsburgh thought it was. There was, after all, no way to get there fast enough so that it could possibly make any difference.
If, on the other hand, you're trying to run a railroad, it becomes rather important to know "when" it's time to throw that switch. Wired has an excellent piece today on this.
On November 18, 1883, American railroads adopted a uniform system of time designation, dividing the United States and Canada into five time zones. "Noon" was measured at 75, 90, 105 and 120 degrees west of Greenwich for the Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific time zones, respectively.
Before the advent of relatively high-speed, long-distance railroad travel, it hadn't mattered a whole lot to people in Philadelphia what time folks in Pittsburgh thought it was. There was, after all, no way to get there fast enough so that it could possibly make any difference.
If, on the other hand, you're trying to run a railroad, it becomes rather important to know "when" it's time to throw that switch. Wired has an excellent piece today on this.
Labels: Time
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