20:02, 20/02, 2002: Time to take notice

THE OLYMPIAN

OLYMPIA -- This week the world will get one minute of symmetry.

For anyone who pays attention to trivia, who lives on military time or who owns a digital 24-hour clock -- Wednesday evening will mark a rare moment in time.

At two minutes after 8 p.m. on Wednesday, the time and date will line up at 20:02, 20/02, 2002.

The last few times similar events occurred, digital clocks had not yet been invented, so trivia buffs of the time might have missed it.

One such event happened at 11:11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1111, when clocks would have read: 11:11, 11/11, 1111.

Another clock-calendar oddity occurred at 10:01 a.m., Jan. 10, 1001. Clocks of the day would have read 10:01, 10/01, 1001.

And, for those who wish to witness the next time the year, month, day and time form a palindrome (the same forward as backward), you'll have to stick around until 2112. On Dec. 21, 2112, at 21:12, the time and date will read 21:12, 21/12, 2112.

Wednesday's unusual collusion between the clock and calendar will be just a moment in time, so be sure to mark it on your calendar.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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