in reply to Re^15: Converting GPS seconds to readable time&date (relativity)
in thread Converting GPS seconds to readable time&date

and orbit the earth every 11h 58m.

It takes 24 hours for a person to orbit the center of the earth, so while the speed I gave was off, the satellites are still faster.

  • Comment on Re^16: Converting GPS seconds to readable time&date (relativity)

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re^17: Converting GPS seconds to readable time&date (relativity)
by BrowserUk (Patriarch) on Jan 12, 2009 at 21:45 UTC

    According to this they circulate the Earth at 3.9 km per second. But that's deceptive because its the relative speed of the observer that is crucial.

    And that waxes and wains like the tides, and oscillates sinusoidally at twice its orbit frequency, with its progression around the orbit. And then there's that it is moving in an orbit relative to a point that is moving in a smaller orbit, so a bit like spirograph if you ever saw the toy.

    Now we know why all the relativity examples use straight line motion away and back from a distant point :)

    Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
    "Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
    In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.
[reply]

In Section Seekers of Perl Wisdom