BS: What time is it at the North Pole?

Subject: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 May 03 - 02:00 AM

Or south pole for that matter?

I have asked Jeves. He was useless. I have googled. Too much on to varied topics to make sense. So, mudcatters, don't let me down. Someone knows!

At the poles, north or south, where all the longtitudes meet, what time is it? Or do the timezones bend somehow? Wouldn't it be nice if there were two places in the world where it was you could walk in a three foot circle and say you have visited all timezones:-) And even cross both GMT and the ID line in the space of seconds!

Waiting for the dawning of knowledge. Whatever time it is...

Cheers

Dave the Gnoledge seeking Gnome

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 28 May 03 - 02:59 AM

I don't know for a fact, but it would seem logical to use Greenwich Mean Time at or very near the poles. Isn't there a convention among scientists of using GMT when there is a change for ambiguity as when, say, a phenomenon is observed at the same time from different time zones? Recording local times could give the impression that the observations were hours apart, but stating the time as GMT makes it plain that they were simultaneous as GMT is the same everywhere.

Bruce

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: Wolfgang
Date: 28 May 03 - 03:28 AM

copied from here:

The lines of longitude that establish our time zones are so close at the North Pole, the Arctic region uses UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) when local time is necessary at the North Pole.

Since UTC (coordinated universal time) is just a modern way of saying GMT, you've been on the mark, Bruce.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 May 03 - 03:43 AM

Fantastic! I knew you wouldn't let me down:-) Thanks guys. So, the timezones do not bend and as 'The lines of longitude that establish our time zones are so close ' my theory of being able to cross all the lines of longtitude in seconds must hold true!

Imagine that eh? Being in all longtitudes at the same time. Now, if we could only come up with a way of doing that for latitudes we would be well on the way to the sci-fi warp drives...;-)

Cheers and thanks again

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: Wolfgang
Date: 28 May 03 - 04:13 AM

More funny things happen at singularities as the poles.

If you are standing at the North pole all possible directions are south (and the sun rises and sets in the south though not very often).

If two people stand at opposite sides of a pole facing each other and discussing where East might be they both can point in completely opposite directions to indicate East and both of them are correct. The same holds true for all other directions. Both have to point to opposite directions to be correct.

If you are at roughly 16 cm from any Pole and walk 1 m exactly to the East (or West) you are again at the point from where you started your journey. Yes, and you have crossed all time zones and the date line.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 May 03 - 04:23 AM

I remember a 'logic' question when I was a yougster. 2 or 3 years ago now...

A man set off walking and went 1 mile south and then 1 mile west. He saw a bear so he walked 1 mile north and ended up back where he started. What colour was the bear?

Considering the thread you should be able to work it out:-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: Ghirotondo
Date: 28 May 03 - 05:00 AM

White, isn't it? A Polar bear.

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 May 03 - 05:07 AM

Got it in one:-)

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: gnu
Date: 28 May 03 - 05:32 AM

I mind the Farside cartoon where a huge polar bear sits inconspicuously amongst a bunch of penguins with a penguin mask on... absolutely hilarious.

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 28 May 03 - 05:44 AM

Polar bears don't eat penguins.... they can't get the wrappers off.

(Old joke that the majority of people won't understand.... Penguins in the UK are popular chocolate coated chocolate biscuits).

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 May 03 - 05:46 AM

Can't be right, Gnu. Polar bears don't eat penguins. Not because the bears live in the Arctic and penguins in the Antarctic.

It's because they can't get the wrappers off.

Eeeeeh. The old ones are... the old ones.

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 May 03 - 05:57 AM

Beat me to it Liz!

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: BanjoRay
Date: 28 May 03 - 06:01 AM

The lines of latitude all meet each other at the East Pole and the West Pole. All we need to do is find them, and we've got the warp drive.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: GUEST,noddy
Date: 28 May 03 - 06:32 AM

Baby Polar Bear, "mummy Am I a polar Bear"?

Mummy Bear Yes you are a polar bear Im a Polar Bear Your Dad is a Polar bear You atre a Polar Bear"

Little bear walks off goes up to his dad " Daddy am I a polar bear" ?

Daddy polar Bear " yes you are a polar bear"

Baby Bear "Are You sure"?

Daddy Bear Iam a Polar Bear Your mum is a Polar bear Your Grand parents were all Polar Bears and their parents before them. YOU ARE A POLAR BEAR. Why do you ask.

Baby Bear " COS IM COLD"

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: okthen
Date: 28 May 03 - 06:57 AM

When will the north pole become the south pole?
Could be sooner than you think, scientists claim magnetic polarity has reversed itself many times in the earths history, every 200 thousand years or so, and as it hasn't happened for 700 thousand years it's about due.

There's not a lot of people know that.

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: DMcG
Date: 28 May 03 - 07:23 AM

Hmm, this is more confusing than it sounds. Imagine that you are on EST time and walk due north. Every few yards you meet people and ask them the time. There must be some point or region where people stop saying EST times and start saying GMT.

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: GUEST
Date: 28 May 03 - 07:45 AM

DMcG - it depends on what country the people are in, and the conventions those countries use for time. Time zones don't stick rigidly to lines of longitude, but bend around countries as they find convenient. For example, China, which because of its size and position could cover 5 time zones, actually uses only one time zone, standard for the whole country. So even far away from the equator, if you walked due north, you might find that you change time zones. As you get nearer the poles, I suppose using GMT as a standard time would become more common in unpopulated areas. Anywhere there is a real town or city, I reckon they would be covered by their country and the standard they have agreed upon.

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: kendall
Date: 28 May 03 - 09:33 AM

I once told some friends here that when I visited Texas, the land was so flat, that, if you had good eyesight, you could see the back of your own head. Well, theoretically....

Subject: RE: BS: What time is it at the North Pole?
From: BanjoRay
Date: 29 May 03 - 07:25 AM

Time zones are even more complicated than GUEST said. Ronnie Scott said when you go to Scunthorpe you have to put your watch back 30 years.
Cheers
Ray