The article discusses the use of leap seconds to keep UTC time within 0.9 seconds of UT1, which is based on Earth’s rotation. NIST maintains the UTC(NIST) time scale and broadcasts leap second information through various time services.
Key points:
– Leap seconds are added to UTC to keep it within 0.9 seconds of UT1
– NIST provides monthly updates on leap seconds and UT1-UTC differences
– The first leap second was added in 1972
– DUT1 corrections are broadcast by NIST to help convert UTC to UT1
– Leap seconds are always positive, adding an extra second to UTC
The article emphasizes the importance of maintaining accurate timekeeping standards, particularly for astronomical and scientific applications. By adjusting UTC with leap seconds, NIST ensures that the time scale remains aligned with Earth’s rotation, which is crucial for various fields including navigation, astronomy, and telecommunications.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/time-realization/leap-seconds
Keywords: Leap, UTC, UT1, TAI, NIST, BIPM, USNO, DUT1, UT1-UTC, International Atomic Time, Coordinated Universal Time, leap seconds, timekeeping, atomic time, astronomical time, atomic clocks, UTC(NIST) time scale, time codes, Internet Time Service, ACTS, WWV, WWVH, WWVB, WWV time code transmissions, ITS time code transmissions, time signals, time scale
