Flamsteed House Greenwich with its Time ball
In all my previous visits to London, I had never visited Greenwich. I finally made it this year. I had always wanted to see the four Harrison clocks, which finally solved the longitude problem of keeping time. I took some images of the clocks that did not really work, sadly. However, the Observatory did allow for some wonderful views over London. This is the main building at the observatory called Flamsteed House. If you are wondering about the ball on the roof, you need to read on.
The observatory buildings at Greenwich became a museum of astronomical and navigational tools, which is part of the Royal Museums Greenwich. Notable exhibits include John Harrison's pioneering chronometer, known as H4, for which he received a large reward from the Board of Longitude, and his three earlier marine timekeepers; all four are the property of the Ministry of Defence.
The observatory was commissioned in 1675 by King Charles II, with the foundation stone being laid on 10 August. The old hilltop site of Greenwich Castle was chosen by Sir Christopher Wren, a former Savilian Professor of Astronomy; as Greenwich Park was a royal estate, no new land needed to be bought. Wren’s building features a lovely octagonal room that you can see on the first floor. At that time, the King also created the position of Astronomer Royal, 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." He appointed John Flamsteed as the first Astronomer Royal. The building was completed in the summer of 1676. The building was often called "Flamsteed House", in reference to its first occupant.
To help mariners at the port and others in line of sight of the observatory to synchronise their clocks to GMT, in 1833 Astronomer Royal John Pond installed a very visible time ball that drops precisely at 1 pm every day atop the observatory.
Initially, it was dropped by an operator; from 1852, it was released automatically via an electric impulse from the Shepherd Master Clock. The ball is still dropped daily at 13:00.
THANKS FOR YOUR VISIT TO MY STREAM.
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Flamsteed House Greenwich with its Time ball
In all my previous visits to London, I had never visited Greenwich. I finally made it this year. I had always wanted to see the four Harrison clocks, which finally solved the longitude problem of keeping time. I took some images of the clocks that did not really work, sadly. However, the Observatory did allow for some wonderful views over London. This is the main building at the observatory called Flamsteed House. If you are wondering about the ball on the roof, you need to read on.
The observatory buildings at Greenwich became a museum of astronomical and navigational tools, which is part of the Royal Museums Greenwich. Notable exhibits include John Harrison's pioneering chronometer, known as H4, for which he received a large reward from the Board of Longitude, and his three earlier marine timekeepers; all four are the property of the Ministry of Defence.
The observatory was commissioned in 1675 by King Charles II, with the foundation stone being laid on 10 August. The old hilltop site of Greenwich Castle was chosen by Sir Christopher Wren, a former Savilian Professor of Astronomy; as Greenwich Park was a royal estate, no new land needed to be bought. Wren’s building features a lovely octagonal room that you can see on the first floor. At that time, the King also created the position of Astronomer Royal, 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." He appointed John Flamsteed as the first Astronomer Royal. The building was completed in the summer of 1676. The building was often called "Flamsteed House", in reference to its first occupant.
To help mariners at the port and others in line of sight of the observatory to synchronise their clocks to GMT, in 1833 Astronomer Royal John Pond installed a very visible time ball that drops precisely at 1 pm every day atop the observatory.
Initially, it was dropped by an operator; from 1852, it was released automatically via an electric impulse from the Shepherd Master Clock. The ball is still dropped daily at 13:00.
THANKS FOR YOUR VISIT TO MY STREAM.
I WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD NOT FAVE A PHOTO
WITHOUT ALSO LEAVING A COMMENT