Page 1 of 1 [ 7 posts ] 

Fnord
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 6 May 2008
Gender: Male
Posts: 60,939
Location:      

28 Dec 2020, 4:15 pm

This is not to be taken too seriously, but...

The general idea of Ground Hog day is that if some oversized marmot emerges from his hole in the ground and sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter.

Okay ... other than the sheer foolishness of such a mindless tradition, and all the pomp and circumstance surrounding it in Punxsutawney, PA., the precession of the seasons has Groundhog Day on the wrong date.

Six weeks is 42 days, right?  The March Equinox -- the first day of Spring in the northern hemisphere -- falls on March 20, 2021 ... still with me?

Now, March 20 is the 79th day of the year, and 79 minus 42 is 37, and the 37th day of the year is February 6th, not February 2nd!

Therefore, I submit that Groundhog Day should be moved back 4 days from the 2nd to the 6th of February (The 7th of February during Leap Years).

:wink: ... as if it really matters.



CockneyRebel
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2004
Age: 50
Gender: Male
Posts: 117,531
Location: In my little Olympic World of peace and love

28 Dec 2020, 6:49 pm

I've always got a kick out of Ground Hog Day.


_________________
The Family Enigma


Dear_one
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 2 Feb 2008
Age: 76
Gender: Male
Posts: 5,721
Location: Where the Great Plains meet the Northern Pines

28 Dec 2020, 8:14 pm

We also have a prognosticating rodent in Wiarton, Ontario. We tend to need something to do around then, but comparing predictions is not one of them.
I always thought it would be fun to make new covers for recordings of Bill Murray's Ground Hog Day, and re-title it Ground Hog Day II.



ezbzbfcg2
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 15 Feb 2013
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,977
Location: New Jersey, USA

30 Dec 2020, 2:57 am

The equinox is a planetary even. It usually occurs around the 21st of March and 21st of September. But not necessarily. Sometimes it's been as early as the 18th of the month. So, you'd have to move Ground Hog Day slightly depending on which date the equinox will occur in any given year.

But it doesn't really matter. If the ground hog decides it'll be an "early spring," then that seems to suggest the equinox itself and the literal beginning of spring is irrelevant to the equation to begin with.



Tempus Fugit
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 20 Oct 2020
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,545

30 Dec 2020, 3:28 am

I think in this case early spring means the transition from winter-like weather to spring-like weather. It can probably be summed up as early snow thaw vs late snow thaw.

Punxsutawney Phil belongs to the same union as the Easter Bunny.



Last edited by Tempus Fugit on 30 Dec 2020, 3:43 am, edited 1 time in total.

traven
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 30 Sep 2013
Gender: Female
Posts: 14,693

30 Dec 2020, 3:41 am

forward, not back :?: :mrgreen:

is that a tom question? to see it from now?, or see on the calendar ? maybe? idk

Quote:
moved back 4 days from the 2nd to the 6th



Fnord
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 6 May 2008
Gender: Male
Posts: 60,939
Location:      

30 Dec 2020, 9:23 am

I have served pork sausage for breakfast every February 2 for the last 25 years, all because it is "ground-hog" day.

:wink: Just a little attempt at humor, folks!