Leap complicates countdown to 2017

paris - The countdown to the end of 2016 and the beginning of year 2017, this in a slightly different part of the world in his work than normal. Who counts in the time zone UTC of 10 to 1, then 0 'Happy New Year' to call is strictly too early a second.

Worldwide, added a leap second in 2016. This is done in order to prevent the clocks from the only started to run with the rotation of the earth. The risk of 'wrong count' does not occur in the Netherlands, for us is when the extra second is added 00:59:59 PM.

In include Iceland, Great Britain, Ireland, Portugal, Morocco, Mali and Ivory Coast, the clock at the moment supreme official of 23:59:59 to 23:59:60, and then pass on to jump to 00:00. Who wants all the time remain in those countries will therefore have to involve a second before his or her loved ones to wish you a prosperous 2017.

Leap seconds are announced by the so-called International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service. These guardians of the time run once every few years a leap second round. The last time that happened on 30 June 2015. The last time such an additional count the turn made it difficult for people with punctuality obsession, in 2008.