ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

IERS

IER stands for International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service. It's a fancy name for a group of people who help us keep track of how the Earth moves and rotates.

You know how we have days and nights, right? The reason for that is because the Earth spins around its own axis. This spinning happens at a very consistent rate, which means that we can measure it and use it to tell time. But sometimes the Earth's spinning can change a little bit, just like how you might slow down or speed up when you're playing a game.

When the Earth's spinning changes, it can affect things like our calendars and GPS systems. That's where the IER comes in. They keep track of these changes and make adjustments to our timekeeping systems so that everything stays accurate. They also keep track of things like the positions of stars and other planets, which can be helpful for things like space travel.

So basically, the IER helps us keep track of time and make sure that we all stay on the same page when it comes to things like dates and schedules.