Vice President JD Vance Adds Chicken Coop to Residence, Includes Dozen Baby Chicks Vice President JD Vance has installed a chicken coop at his residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory, accompanied by a dozen baby chicks. The coop, designed to resemble the Victorian-style home where the second family resides, features a round turret and a faux slate roof. The structure was custom-built by Carolina Coops, a North Carolina company known for its premium coops and social media presence. The project was completed on May 29, according to the company’s founder, Matthew DuBoise, who described the endeavor as a tribute to the historical significance of the site. The coop was constructed without taxpayer funds, as confirmed by an anonymous individual familiar with the project. The installation coincided with a family event over the weekend, during which local 4-H students engaged other children in educational activities about the new addition. This marks another unique feature added to the 72-acre Naval Observatory property, which has hosted vice presidents since 1977. Previous occupants have left their own marks, such as Joe Biden’s heritage garden, Mike Pence’s wife Karen’s beehives, Kamala Harris’ pink library wallpaper, and Dan Quayle’s heated swimming pool from 1991. The chicken coop’s design drew inspiration from the 19th-century residence, with its round turret and green trim. DuBoise emphasized that the Vances personally selected the 12 chicks to start their flock. He noted the project as an “American dream” moment, highlighting the honor of his company being chosen for the task. DuBoise oversaw the installation and provided guidance to Vance, his wife Usha, and their children.#us_naval_observatory #vice_president_jd_vance #carolina_coops #matthew_duboise #daily_wire
A not-so-equal equinox: Why day beats night on the 1st day of spring The spring equinox marks the first day of spring today, but daylight actually lasts several minutes longer than night. Here's why the equinox doesn't appear perfectly equal. On March 20 at 10:46 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, the vernal equinox occurs. At that moment, the sun aligns directly over the equator, casting equal light on both hemispheres. However, this moment is not the exact midpoint of day and night. For North Americans, spring officially begins on March 20, a shift from the traditional March 21. This change is due to the Earth’s elliptical orbit and the structure of the Gregorian calendar. From 1980 to 2102, the equinox will never fall later than March 20. In 2028, it will even occur on March 19 for the Western Hemisphere. The idea that days and nights are equal on the equinox is a common misconception. In reality, daylight is longer than darkness by several minutes. For example, in Pittsburgh, the equinox does not mark equal day and night but rather Saint Patrick’s Day. This discrepancy arises because sunrise and sunset times are calculated based on when the sun’s top edge appears on the horizon, not its center. The sun’s apparent diameter, about half a degree, contributes to this effect. Additionally, Earth’s atmosphere bends sunlight, creating an optical illusion. The U.S. Naval Observatory accounts for this refraction, noting that the sun’s geometric center is more than eight-tenths of a degree below the horizon at sunrise. As a result, we see the sun for a few minutes before it rises and after it sets. This atmospheric lens effect adds approximately six to seven minutes to daylight each day.#us_naval_observatory #pittsburgh #spring_equinox #earth_elliptical_orbit #joe_rao
Daylight Saving Time 2026 Begins Soon: Key Details and Time Changes Daylight saving time, the annual time adjustment commonly referred to as "spring forward," is set to begin in 2026, with most Americans losing an hour of sleep when clocks shift ahead this weekend. The change will occur on Sunday, March 8, at 2 a.m. local time, marking the second Sunday of March as the official start date. This practice has followed the second Sunday of March since 2007, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory, which serves as the official timekeeping authority for the Defense Department. Daylight saving time works by advancing clocks by one hour, effectively shifting an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. For example, in Boston, sunrise on Saturday, March 7, will occur at 6:09 a.m., with sunset at 5:41 p.m. After the time change, sunrise on Sunday, March 8, will be at 7:08 a.m., and sunset will occur at 6:42 p.m. This adjustment aligns with the natural progression of daylight, though it occurs before the vernal equinox, which marks the start of spring on March 20. The start date of daylight saving time has varied over the years. From 1974 to 2006, the practice began on the first Sunday of April. Prior to 1987, the Uniform Time Act of 1966 established the last Sunday of April as the start date. During the energy crisis of the 1970s, Congress experimented with year-round daylight saving time, beginning on the first Sunday of January in 1974. However, this trial ended in October 1974, and the practice reverted to the last Sunday of February in 1975. Since 2007, the second Sunday of March has been the standard start date. When daylight saving time begins, most of the U.S. will lose an hour as clocks jump from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m.#apple #us_naval_observatory #national_institute_of_standards_and_technology #google #samsung
