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Defining body

International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS)

The service that maintains the international celestial and terrestrial reference frames and the parameters linking them — the Earth orientation parameters. The IERS monitors the Earth's rotation and axis, publishes UT1−UTC and polar motion, and announces the leap seconds that keep civil time aligned with the turning Earth.

Highlights

  • Keeper of the reference frames, Earth orientation, and leap seconds

Across the reference systems

Knowledge connections

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • IAUInternational Astronomical Union

    Official naming, definitions, constellation boundaries, and astronomical nomenclature.