Where does the day begin?
FROM TODAY'S PRINT EDITIONS:
Ike, from Jarrettsville, asks via snail mail: “In what part of the world does the day begin? If it’s 5 a.m. in Rome, then five hours east would put the beginning somewhere in Asia. I’m guessing China.” Nope. The calendar date begins wherever it’s midnight, and midnight circles the globe daily, east to west. A Sunday becomes a Monday in the mid-Pacific if you cross the International Date Line, east to west. That happens at whatever hour you cross.
(AP PHOTO: Richard Vogel, Tuvalu Island, near the International Date Line)
Posted by Frank Roylance at 12:01 AM | Permalink
| Comments (5)
Categories: From the Sun's print edition
Categories: From the Sun's print edition
Comments
Big Diomede island can make a claim to being where the world's day begins, as the International Date Line passes closely between it and Little Diomede island.
Posted by: Ken Marsh | January 16, 2011 8:41 AM
Someone said- you can make Monday last 47 hours and 59 min. by starting at the IDL and travelling west until you circle the globe (47 hours and 59 min. later). Of course you would miss out on Tuesday ?
Posted by: Greg | January 17, 2011 1:04 PM
longest day ...follow up. Not true since the IDL cuts the earth in 1/2... a Monday may seem like 2 days but it is not.
Posted by: Greg | January 17, 2011 1:10 PM
Who cares where the day starts first? I just want a beach chair on that island in the picture right about now...
Posted by: Mar | January 17, 2011 1:10 PM
You can make the day last almost 48 hours. Example- You don't like Mondays. You can have 2 Sundays. If you willing to live near the IDL. Stay on the west side of the line until 11:59pm Sunday. Then move to the east of the IDL and stay there until Sunday at 11:59pm, then move back west of the IDL and it will be Tuesday. Good Luck
Posted by: Paul | January 17, 2011 7:47 PM