Dear Harriet, In addition to the pointers you've already received, you might also like to have a look at http://www.timeanddate.com/time/abbreviations.html
You are right to write "Do countries in Europe apart from France adhere to the 'correct' zone?" with quotes around the word 'correct'... Actually, most Western European Union countries are on WET/WEST, which is 1 (or 2, when DST is switched on) hours in advance of GMT. This is fairly nice when travelling thorough the continent! However, I think Greece might be on the next zone, 2 (or 3) hours in advance. So it's not France who distinguishes from the rest, but ...UK who are the sole to insist on 'their' GMT time (nowadays called UT). (I should check for Ireland, but I'm pretty sure they are on WET/WEST too.) And a trick: just get an airline timetable and look for the destinations of interest. As for DST, it's now a EC law or is it just a recommendation? In any case there is a text about it in the legislative database of the EC, fixing the dates of ON and OFF. (Check the validity dates of your airline timetable!). Thierry 50°50'N, 4°20'E -- __________________________________ Thierry van Steenberghe Bruxelles / Belgium mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________ harriet wrote: > > Dear All, > > Can anyone clarify American and European time zones for me? I am trying > to write instructions for setting up a dial which can be used in any > location. > > The NASS dialist's companion gives the meridians for US time zones > as: Atlantic 60° W > Eastern 75° W > Central 90°W > Mountain 105° W > Pacific 120°W > > Do all Americans adhere to these time zones, or are some like the French > who > like to be one hour ahead of GMT even though France lies within 7.5° of the > Greenwich > Meridian? > > If I set up a dial in say Pittsburg, Pennsylvania (longitude 80° W) which > tells local solar time, > ignoring corrections for the Equation of Time, am I correct in saying that > it will run 20 minutes slow to Eastern Standard Time as it is 5° west of > the Eastern time meridian? > > Do countries in Europe apart from France adhere to the 'correct' zone? > What about daylight saving in the US and Europe? > > Any help gratefully received. > > Harriet James
