2013: Royal Observatory, Greenwich #18
The Royal Observatory, Greenwich (formerly the Royal Greenwich Observatory or RGO), in London, England played a major role in the history of astronomy and navigation, and is best known as the location of the prime meridian.
It is situated on a hill in Greenwich Park, overlooking the River Thames.
The Prime Meridian is the meridian (line of longitude) at which the longitude is defined to be 0°.
The Prime Meridian and its opposite the 180th meridian (at 180° longitude), which the International Date Line generally follows, form a great circle that divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
The observatory was commissioned in 1675 by King Charles II, with the foundation stone being laid on 10 August. At this time the king also created the position of Astronomer Royal (initially filled by John Flamsteed), to serve as the director of the observatory and to "apply himself with the most exact care and diligence to the rectifying of the tables of the motions of the heavens, and the places of the fixed stars, so as to find out the so much desired longitude of places for the perfecting of the art of navigation."
The building was completed in the summer of 1676. The building was often given the title "Flamsteed House".
The scientific work of the observatory was relocated elsewhere in stages in the first half of the 20th century, and the Greenwich site is now maintained as a tourist attraction and museum.
To help others synchronize their clocks to GMT, a time ball was installed by Astronomer Royal John Pond in 1833. It still drops daily to mark the exact moment of 1 p.m. (13:00) year round (GMT during winter and BST during summer). The time ball sits on top of the Octagon Room."
Many horological artefacts are displayed, documenting the history of precision timekeeping for navigational and astronomical purposes.
The Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site incorporates the Royal Observatory, the National Maritime Museum and 17th-century Queen's House.
In 2012, Her Majesty The Queen formally approved Royal Museums Greenwich as the new overall title for the National Maritime Museum, Queen’s House, the Royal Observatory, Greenwich and the Cutty Sark.
Wikipedia
2013: Royal Observatory, Greenwich #18
The Royal Observatory, Greenwich (formerly the Royal Greenwich Observatory or RGO), in London, England played a major role in the history of astronomy and navigation, and is best known as the location of the prime meridian.
It is situated on a hill in Greenwich Park, overlooking the River Thames.
The Prime Meridian is the meridian (line of longitude) at which the longitude is defined to be 0°.
The Prime Meridian and its opposite the 180th meridian (at 180° longitude), which the International Date Line generally follows, form a great circle that divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
The observatory was commissioned in 1675 by King Charles II, with the foundation stone being laid on 10 August. At this time the king also created the position of Astronomer Royal (initially filled by John Flamsteed), to serve as the director of the observatory and to "apply himself with the most exact care and diligence to the rectifying of the tables of the motions of the heavens, and the places of the fixed stars, so as to find out the so much desired longitude of places for the perfecting of the art of navigation."
The building was completed in the summer of 1676. The building was often given the title "Flamsteed House".
The scientific work of the observatory was relocated elsewhere in stages in the first half of the 20th century, and the Greenwich site is now maintained as a tourist attraction and museum.
To help others synchronize their clocks to GMT, a time ball was installed by Astronomer Royal John Pond in 1833. It still drops daily to mark the exact moment of 1 p.m. (13:00) year round (GMT during winter and BST during summer). The time ball sits on top of the Octagon Room."
Many horological artefacts are displayed, documenting the history of precision timekeeping for navigational and astronomical purposes.
The Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site incorporates the Royal Observatory, the National Maritime Museum and 17th-century Queen's House.
In 2012, Her Majesty The Queen formally approved Royal Museums Greenwich as the new overall title for the National Maritime Museum, Queen’s House, the Royal Observatory, Greenwich and the Cutty Sark.
Wikipedia