tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30897652.post6408413521823434521..comments2024-03-27T15:44:43.564-08:00Comments on What Do I Know?: How Fast Is A Knot? Why? And Childhood Dreams. Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498066938213558757noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30897652.post-34821715428911981852018-03-08T19:29:22.003-09:002018-03-08T19:29:22.003-09:00Well, I kinda fluffed the question, because a mete...Well, I kinda fluffed the question, because a meter is obviously one thousandth of a kilometer. The point I wanted to make is the geographical root of metric system: A kilometer is 1/10,000th of the distance from equator to geographic pole. AlaskaProfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04264702272015854940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30897652.post-21189459795248964572018-03-08T14:20:49.783-09:002018-03-08T14:20:49.783-09:00Without looking it up,I thought it was something l...Without looking it up,I thought it was something like the distance from the king's fingertips on his outstretched hand to his nose. No, I guess that was a yard. So tell me.Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10498066938213558757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30897652.post-35316287628737159702018-03-06T11:53:25.827-09:002018-03-06T11:53:25.827-09:00Okay. Today's topic: what is a meter? (39 inch...Okay. Today's topic: what is a meter? (39 inches is not the answer.)AlaskaProfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04264702272015854940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30897652.post-69000967695647162532018-03-06T08:04:27.183-09:002018-03-06T08:04:27.183-09:00Very interesting and informative column, even for ...Very interesting and informative column, even for a landlocked, land lubber like this retired farmer.mike from iowahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05493799586846040115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30897652.post-16802751529446183732018-03-06T06:43:32.885-09:002018-03-06T06:43:32.885-09:00Wow Bill, you should be working at the SF Maritime...Wow Bill, you should be working at the SF Maritime Historical National Park. I thought it was fascinating, but was wondering how those particular numbers came up. Thanks for filling in the rest of the story. And, as always, it's good to hear from you. Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10498066938213558757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30897652.post-37096838583781222822018-03-05T18:44:00.805-09:002018-03-05T18:44:00.805-09:00But...but...but why 47.25 feet you ask, why 28 sec...But...but...but why 47.25 feet you ask, why 28 seconds? Well: because the relationship between those two numbers is exactly the same as the relation between 6030 feet (aka one nautical mile) and 3600 seconds, or one hour. so one "knot", instead of being a measurement of distance becomes a measure of velocity = one nautical mile per hour.<br /><br />But what's special about 6030' you ask. Well, it is 1/5400th of the distance between the equator and the geographical pole, or one minute of latitude, the basic unit of navigation and of astronomical observation.<br />Pedanticaly yours,<br />Bill Butler<br />Ashland, OregonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com