Stand by, we're about to have a longer year

Time-keepers around the world are set to extended slightly the year 2005, by the insertion of a leap second at the end of the 31st of December, Coordinated Universal Time - UTC.

The International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service, which is responsible for monitoring the relationship between the atomic clock-based UTC and the rate of Earth's rotation, has declared that the last minute of the year will have 61 seconds.

The last leap second was on the 31st of December, 1998.

To monitor the insertion of the leap second, tune into the time and frequency broadcast of WWV or watch a Global Positioning System clock, just prior and during zero hours UTC on the 1st of January, 2006.

Jim Linton VK3PC.

Source: Wireless Institute of Australia