In a message dated 3/11/99 10:48:52 AM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> > 12:00 PM is noon, because the time switches from AM to PM at noon. > > Simple, eh? > > John Hasler is correct. The point is there is NO 12 am or 12 pm. As he > explained, am means 'ante meridiem'. This `meridiem' is a circle drawn from > the North point in the horizon to the South point, passing thru the zenith. > Zenith is the point directly overhead for any given location. At some point > in time (near 12:00), the sun crosses this circle. This is (local) noon. > The Sun is neither before or after the meridian, it's on the meridian. > > Although it might seen as a logical conclusion to say that 12:00 pm is noon, > the argument doesn't hold, because `pm' has a precise definition. It means > "when any given star has _crossed_ the meridian" > > That's all well and good, and very accurate... but the point remains. If someone says to you 12pm, it's considered 12 noon. If someone says to you 12am, it's considered 12 midnight. People seldom consider where the star is in relation to the meridian when discussing what time of day it is. They just know if it's ight or dark out. ;) -Jay
