https://xkcd.com/2897

Alt text:

When Pope Gregory XIII briefly shortened the light-year in 1582, it led to navigational chaos and the loss of several Papal starships.

  • fahfahfahfahAEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    This seems pretty definitive to me:

    As defined by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the light-year is the product of the Julian year (365.25 days, as opposed to the 365.2425-day Gregorian year or the 365.24219-day Tropical year that both approximate) and the speed of light (299792458 m/s).

    • schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
      1·
      10 months ago

      That is pretty much what I said. I was irritated by your wording “the actual 365.2425”, which is just another approximation of the “actual” solar year.

      • fahfahfahfahAEnglish
        1·
        10 months ago

        Ah, gotcha, yeah fair enough, I could have said “more accurate”