Hi, nice to see some people think of things like this.

My thoughts on the matter.

I don't really like the 24 months, keep it simple, we already have a calendar,
based on planetary poitions.

Is there anything wrong with calling a Martian month January when it is in the
same part of space os the Earth is in respect to the background stars as Earth,
everyone would understand that.

When Earth moves through, as viewed from a Sol perspective, a certain sector of
constellations, it is a certain month, what is wrong with giving the same month
name to a Martian month. It will just take about twice as long, to move through
that constellation.

Months are slices of pie, there are 12 slices to go around, Earth is closer to
the Sun, so moves through that section of pie in approximately 30 days, double
for Mars, or 54 days I think a bit closer. It is further away and so takes
longer.

I don't know if I am being clear.

Oh, and yes we do NEED a Martian calendar, I myself am going nuts with
spacecraft references all being selfish, as in they are with respect to
themselves, nothing else.

Is there a Martian calendar (Let's sort it out once and for all)
society?

I'd love to throw my two bobs worth in as well, I know that you would also like
to see something done about this lack of a common reference point.

What would be your choice for a common reference point, a starting place?

Perhaps when Mars 3 landed, maybe Viking. Perhaps that should be nutted out by
Astronomers for special reasons beyond my knowledge, such as epochs etc.

I just like the fact that we have already divided one orbit of Sol into 12
parts, keep it that way for everything, if you are on Mars, you will know that
any certain month will last nearly twice as long as it does on Earth, why not?
The year does.

I know that you are interested in this a lot, I am working on software that
usually relates to Mars, would you be someone that would like to collaborate
with before I give things out to the public?

I previously release a program called MERDAT, for the MER rovers, it displayed
Earth time of image capture and spacecraft relevant Martian time, I have
modified it for MERs, Phoenix, MPF, and VIKINGS.
Not yet released, a few little things to tidy.

I should be able to make a version displaying our own version of Martian time. A
proper calendar. If its any good, it will get used, if poeple start using it,
jobs done.

But, we need to discuss it more.

Then there is the use of true solar and standard local time.
There are certainly many requirements for true solar time, but I don't have one
yet.
I still like the version of time that humans created and put on their wrists,
standard local.

Lets not get too much into gravitational and kinetic time dilation.

This is actually a nightmare for spacecraft controllers.
Why, well clocks made on Earth fail to keep accurate time that relates to Earth
as soon as they leave Earth.

Thanks for bringing it up again, it does need to be addressed.
Kevin.

--- In MarsLivingNow-@yahoogroups.com, "tardis1959@..." <tardis1959@...> wrote:
>
> --- In ares_regia@yahoogroups.com, "tardis1959@" <tardis1959@> wrote:
>
> Greetings Fellow Martians!!
> Some people believe that when we start living on Mars
> we should keep things as simple as possible.
> They suggest that we not change things like
> second, minute, hour, or week.
> The Martian Day (or "Sol") is 88775.244 seconds long
> or 24:39:35.244 long
> while The Terran Day is 86400 seconds long
> or 24:00:00 long
> so why can;t the months be about 28 - 31 days long?
> They suggest that we divide the year into 24 months.
> That would be like 2 Earth years.
> But 669 Sols divided by 24 = 27.875 Sols per month.
> ????
> Now take 27.875 - 27 = 0.875
> + 27.875 = 28.75 - 28 = 0.75
> + 27.875 = 28.625 - 28 = 0.625
> + 27.875 = 28.5 - 28 = 0.5
> + 27.875 = 28.375 - 28 = 0.375
> + 27.875 = 28.25 - 28 = 0.25
> + 27.875 = 28.125 - 28 = 0.125
> + 27.875 = 28
> You now have a Martian "Semester" or "Trimester".
> There would be 3 in a Martian Year.
> ????
> The Martian Months would go something like this:
> I January with 27 sols
> I February with 28 sols
> I March with 28 sols
> I April with 28 sols
> I May with 28 sols
> I June with 28 sols
> I July with 28 sols
> I August with 28 sols
> ****
> I September with 27 sols
> I October with 28 sols
> I November with 28 sols
> I December with 28 sols
> II January with 28 sols
> II February with 28 sols
> II March with 28 sols
> II April with 28 sols
> ****
> II May with 27 sols
> II June with 28 sols
> II July with 28 sols
> II August with 28 sols
> II September with 28 sols
> II October with 28 sols
> II November with 28 sols
> II December with 28 sols
> ????
> Now that is a Martian Calndar. It should work but
> if it doesn;t I;ll let you know.
> This Martian Year (72) began on a Monday.
> I don;t think we need a calendar but what the hey.
> Thank you and all of our best to Marvin and K-9!!
> Year 72 Sol 476 / Mars Date 72476 @ 3:37 MTC or
> Friday, 10th of April, 2009 CE @ 15:48 UTC or
> Sunday, 3rd of II June, 72 MCE @ 3:37 MTC .
>
> --- End forwarded message ---
>