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Adding The Extra Second To Big Ben

 
 
Reply Wed 31 Dec, 2008 05:56 pm
Those Important Pennies
........................................

to adjust Big Ben for the extra second , Big Ben's timekeepers keep some old-fashioned pre-decimal pennies on hand !
better not do away with those pennies or the world's most important clock will likely not be ticking on time !

Quote:
It is especially important that Big Ben chimes on time because as well as bringing in the new year across the Nation, it will be heralding its 150th anniversary.
Old pennies help keep the Big Ben's Great Clock precisely on time

The Great Clock, which dictates when Big Ben bongs, keeps its time with a swinging pendulum.

The pendulum can be adjusted by adding or removing weights that sit on top of it - weights that include old pre-decimal pennies.

By removing one, the clock slows down by 0.4 seconds over a 24 hour period.

Throughout the evening, the men who look after Big Ben, known as the Westminster Clockmakers, will be removing pennies to ensure that the bongs bong precisely on time.

According to the Keeper of the Great Clock, Michael McCann, there is no margin for error. He says the world is looking to Big Ben to get it right because of its iconic status.


read the story :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7797818.stm

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45335000/jpg/_45335405_sdc10115.jpg

"quick , give me a penny ! "

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/archive/5/53/20071010030551!British_Pennies.JPG
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Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 7,877 • Replies: 7
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ehBeth
 
  1  
Reply Wed 31 Dec, 2008 05:58 pm
@hamburger,
standing by the microwave with my penny, trying to decide how to make that adjustment
hamburger
 
  1  
Reply Wed 31 Dec, 2008 06:32 pm
@ehBeth,
if you have some REAL british pennies , better hold on to them , and DO NOT clean them !
hbg

Quote:
the value of a genuine penny was quoted on the Antiques Roadshow from a few years ago as 20 to 25 thousand pounds how much that has changed I am afraid I don't know but it should give you some idea of rough value.
djjd62
 
  1  
Reply Wed 31 Dec, 2008 06:38 pm
all my pennies are canadian, but they do have the queens head on them, does that count
0 Replies
 
djjd62
 
  1  
Reply Wed 31 Dec, 2008 06:41 pm
speaking of british pennies


Billy Bragg - Bad Penny
0 Replies
 
Fountofwisdom
 
  1  
Reply Fri 2 Jan, 2009 03:20 am
Big Ben is the name of the bell: not the clock.
0 Replies
 
Fountofwisdom
 
  1  
Reply Fri 2 Jan, 2009 03:23 am
British pennies are not valuable: millions were made> To get you an idea you get about 15 pennies for a Canadian dollar.
0 Replies
 
roger
 
  1  
Reply Fri 2 Jan, 2009 03:38 am
@hamburger,
hamburger wrote:

if you have some REAL british pennies , better hold on to them , and DO NOT clean them !
hbg

Quote:
the value of a genuine penny was quoted on the Antiques Roadshow from a few years ago as 20 to 25 thousand pounds how much that has changed I am afraid I don't know but it should give you some idea of rough value.



I'll take the 25 thoudand pounds; they can keep their second.
0 Replies
 
 

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