Post by Sir X. Pol Briga on Mar 23, 2006 8:19:22 GMT -6
Regarding a unit of Talossan distance:
Using the definition below, a meter is .000000003336540951981520495 light seconds long (approximately 3.33 x 10**9)
I would proposed that a yet to be named unit of Talossan measurement either be .000000001 or .00000001 light seconds long using the most currently available measurement technology. This would result that the standard unit of Talossan measurement would be either approximately the length of a english foot or approximately the length of an english rod, and that there would be decimal increments of said unit similar to the metric system (e.g. mili, centi, deci, kilo, etc.).
This way we can use the measurement to describe the metes and bounds of the realm in true Talossan terms, and it will be easy for the Talossan Navy to measure the corresponding distance associated with light years when calculating distances for the eventual space fairing fleet, or other useful purposes. The university would be charged with establishing conversion charts for this unit of measurement, and establishing others (although the pint as a measure of volume seems to be fairly well established, there may be differing opinions on the precise definition which should be settled for the good of the realm as it will likely be an important economic element).
---XPB
www.mel.nist.gov/div821/museum/timeline.htm
...
On October 20, 1983 the meter was redefined again. The definition states that the meter is the length of the path traveled by light in vacuum during a time interval of 1/299,792,458 of a second. The speed of light is
c = 299,792,458 m/s
The second is determined to an uncertainty, U = 1 part in 10**14 by the Cesium clock. The General Conference made the iodine stabilized Helium-Neon laser a recommended radiation for realizing the meter at this time. The wavelength of this laser is
ëHeNe = 632.99139822 nm
with an estimated relative standard uncertainty (U) of ± 2.5 x 10**11.
In all of these changes in definition, the goal was not only to improve the precision of the definition, but also to change its actual length as little as possible.
---
see: www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/custom.html
Meanwhile, all land in England was traditionally measured by the gyrd or rod, an old Saxon unit probably equal to 20 "natural feetIn Anglo-Saxon England (before the Norman conquest of 1066), short distances seem to have been measured in several ways. The inch (ynce) was defined to be the length of 3 barleycorns, which is very close to its modern length. The shaftment was frequently used, but it was roughly 6.5 inches long. Several foot units were in use, including a foot equal to 12 inches, a foot equal to 2 shaftments (13 inches), and the "natural foot" (pes naturalis, an actual foot length, about 9.8 inches). The fathom was also used, but it did not have a definite relationship to the other units.
When the Normans arrived, they brought back to England the Roman tradition of a 12-inch foot. Although no single document on the subject can be found, it appears that during the reign of Henry I (1100-1135) the 12-inch foot became official, and the royal government took steps to make this foot length known. A 12-inch foot was inscribed on the base of a column of St. Paul's Church in London, and measurements in this unit were said to be "by the foot of St. Paul's" (de pedibus Sancti Pauli). Henry I also appears to have ordered construction of 3-foot standards, which were called "yards," thus establishing that unit for the first time in England. William of Malmsebury wrote that the yard was "the measure of his [the king's] own arm," thus launching the story that the yard was defined to be the distance from the nose to the fingertip of Henry I. In fact, both the foot and the yard were established on the basis of the Saxon ynce, the foot being 36 barleycorns and the yard 108.
The Norman kings had no interest in changing the length of the rod, since the accuracy of deeds and other land records depended on that unit. Accordingly, the length of the rod was fixed at 5.5 yards (16.5 feet). This was not very convenient, but 5.5 yards happened to be the length of the rod as measured by the 12-inch foot, so nothing could be done about it. In the Saxon land-measuring system, 40 rods make a furlong (fuhrlang), the length of the traditional furrow (fuhr) as plowed by ox teams on Saxon farms. These ancient Saxon units, the rod and the furlong, have come down to us today with essentially no change. The chain, a more recent invention, equals 4 rods or 1/10 furlong in order to fit nicely with the Saxon units.
Using the definition below, a meter is .000000003336540951981520495 light seconds long (approximately 3.33 x 10**9)
I would proposed that a yet to be named unit of Talossan measurement either be .000000001 or .00000001 light seconds long using the most currently available measurement technology. This would result that the standard unit of Talossan measurement would be either approximately the length of a english foot or approximately the length of an english rod, and that there would be decimal increments of said unit similar to the metric system (e.g. mili, centi, deci, kilo, etc.).
This way we can use the measurement to describe the metes and bounds of the realm in true Talossan terms, and it will be easy for the Talossan Navy to measure the corresponding distance associated with light years when calculating distances for the eventual space fairing fleet, or other useful purposes. The university would be charged with establishing conversion charts for this unit of measurement, and establishing others (although the pint as a measure of volume seems to be fairly well established, there may be differing opinions on the precise definition which should be settled for the good of the realm as it will likely be an important economic element).
---XPB
www.mel.nist.gov/div821/museum/timeline.htm
...
On October 20, 1983 the meter was redefined again. The definition states that the meter is the length of the path traveled by light in vacuum during a time interval of 1/299,792,458 of a second. The speed of light is
c = 299,792,458 m/s
The second is determined to an uncertainty, U = 1 part in 10**14 by the Cesium clock. The General Conference made the iodine stabilized Helium-Neon laser a recommended radiation for realizing the meter at this time. The wavelength of this laser is
ëHeNe = 632.99139822 nm
with an estimated relative standard uncertainty (U) of ± 2.5 x 10**11.
In all of these changes in definition, the goal was not only to improve the precision of the definition, but also to change its actual length as little as possible.
---
see: www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/custom.html
Meanwhile, all land in England was traditionally measured by the gyrd or rod, an old Saxon unit probably equal to 20 "natural feetIn Anglo-Saxon England (before the Norman conquest of 1066), short distances seem to have been measured in several ways. The inch (ynce) was defined to be the length of 3 barleycorns, which is very close to its modern length. The shaftment was frequently used, but it was roughly 6.5 inches long. Several foot units were in use, including a foot equal to 12 inches, a foot equal to 2 shaftments (13 inches), and the "natural foot" (pes naturalis, an actual foot length, about 9.8 inches). The fathom was also used, but it did not have a definite relationship to the other units.
When the Normans arrived, they brought back to England the Roman tradition of a 12-inch foot. Although no single document on the subject can be found, it appears that during the reign of Henry I (1100-1135) the 12-inch foot became official, and the royal government took steps to make this foot length known. A 12-inch foot was inscribed on the base of a column of St. Paul's Church in London, and measurements in this unit were said to be "by the foot of St. Paul's" (de pedibus Sancti Pauli). Henry I also appears to have ordered construction of 3-foot standards, which were called "yards," thus establishing that unit for the first time in England. William of Malmsebury wrote that the yard was "the measure of his [the king's] own arm," thus launching the story that the yard was defined to be the distance from the nose to the fingertip of Henry I. In fact, both the foot and the yard were established on the basis of the Saxon ynce, the foot being 36 barleycorns and the yard 108.
The Norman kings had no interest in changing the length of the rod, since the accuracy of deeds and other land records depended on that unit. Accordingly, the length of the rod was fixed at 5.5 yards (16.5 feet). This was not very convenient, but 5.5 yards happened to be the length of the rod as measured by the 12-inch foot, so nothing could be done about it. In the Saxon land-measuring system, 40 rods make a furlong (fuhrlang), the length of the traditional furrow (fuhr) as plowed by ox teams on Saxon farms. These ancient Saxon units, the rod and the furlong, have come down to us today with essentially no change. The chain, a more recent invention, equals 4 rods or 1/10 furlong in order to fit nicely with the Saxon units.
; otherwise, I'd say stick to feet and miles.
