Sun will rise continuously for 36 hours?

You are here for 2 reasons. One, you got a text/ SMS/ E-mail about the sun going to rise and stay for 36 hours. Two, you were just browsing or stumbled upon this blogsite.

Anyway, the exact message goes,

"Coming October 17, 2008 the sun will rise continuously for 36hrs (1.5days). During this time the US Countries will be dark for 1.5 days. It will convert 3 days into 2 big days. It will happen once 2400 years. We're very lucky to see this. This s a global phenomenon...

Courtesy of CNN/BBC news"

You know what? Unless this is a miracle, anyone who believes this is gullible. If you searched for it in the internet, like I did, at least we confirm forwarded messages (not only pertaining to this sun-rising-up hoax) first before sending messages.

Why is it not true? According to About.com,

"Poppycock. Let's begin by applying some grade-school science to dispel the ridiculous notion that the sun even could "rise continuously for 36 hours."

The reason we perceive the sun as "rising" or "setting" every 24 hours is because the earth rotates on its axis while revolving around the sun. It does not -- and cannot -- stop rotating, nor does its speed appreciably fluctuate (various factors such as climate and seismic events can cause miniscule changes in the earth's rotation speed, but according to scientists all of these combined add up to a differential of no more than one second per year).

In order for a day to last 36 hours, the earth's rotation would either have to cease altogether or slow down dramatically -- neither of which ever happens, let alone once every 2,400 years. It's physically impossible."

So next time for the nth time, whether you are in the Philippines or wherever, I am reminding everyone not to forward unconfirmed text/ SMS/ E-mail messages.

-Cheftonio