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How DST actually works

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  • 15-03-2022 11:15pm
    #1
    Orion402
    Registered Users Posts: 408 ✭✭


    If teachers wish to instruct their students about DST then here is the real explanation for the timekeeping adjustment that anyone can appreciate.

    Before DST is applied and the hour hand moves forward one hour, there is a natural symmetry between the length of time from sunrise to noon and noon to sunset. If there are 6 hours from sunrise to noon, then there are 6 hours from noon to sunset.

    Take Dublin, for example-

    https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/ireland/dublin

    The 24 hour day and clocks are anchored to the sunrise/noon/sunset cycle as the planet turns once every 24 hours. Normally, clocks are referenced to the noon Sun as this is where the symmetry between the length of time from sunrise to noon and noon to sunset exists.

    To better understand DST, go to the timeanddate website and down to the date after after DST is applied. With the cursor, pick up the Sun and move it back one hour towards sunrise and almost immediately the reader will understand why we have 'longer evenings' and shorter mornings even outside the natural lengthening of daylight during the summer months. The length of time from clock noon to natural sunset lengthens by one hour and the length of time between natural sunrise and clock noon shortens by one hour.

    DST, like Timezones, are later developments made possible by the 24 hour system and the Lat/Long system. It is time for people to set aside the contrived notions based on the daily change in the position of the stars which attempted to set aside the anchor in the central/stationary Sun for the relationship between the natural noon cycle and the 24 hour cycle fixed to noon.



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