Leap Second

2012

photograph

Leap Second is a series of artworks showing the 27 leap seconds that have been added to our time so far. Leap seconds are added occasionally due to the earth gradually slowing down, primarily due to the tides. This slowing can not be predicted, but its effect means our time gradually goes out of sync with the position of the sun. The date and time is written in Unix Time with a redrawn version of PICA font from the IBM Selectric typewriter, the image behind each photo is from a series of photos taken of the sky above the Greenwich Meridian (GMT, UTC) in London, a photo was taken every minute for 24 hours. Each image used in this series contains evidence of humanity (a plane, or a satellite). There are 27 photographs in the series for the 27 leap seconds so far, this artwork will continue to grow with each added leap second.

Leap Second, 30 June 1972 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 1972 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1972 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1972 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1973 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1973 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1974 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1974 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1975 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1975 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1976 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1976 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1977 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1977 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1978 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1978 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1979 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1979 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 1981 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 1981 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 1982 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 1982 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 1983 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 1983 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 1985 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 1985 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1987 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1987 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1989 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1989 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1990 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1990 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 1992 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 1992 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 1993 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 1993 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 1994 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 1994 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1995 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1995 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 1997 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 1997 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1998 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 1998 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 2005 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 2005 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 2008 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 2008 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 2012 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 2012 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 2015 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 30 June 2015 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 2016 - 23:59:60
Leap Second, 31 December 2016 - 23:59:60