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As a child, I remember our elementary school lessons about the Greenwich meridian, the imaginary line used to indicate 0° longitude and used as the reference for all other meridians of longitude, which are numbered east or west of it.
Also known as the Prime Meridian, it is similar to the equator, but an imaginary line that divides the earth into two hemispheres…eastern and western instead of northern and southern.
With my love of geography, it is surprising that I had never given it much thought in my adult years, especially with all of my worldly travels.
Scouring a map of London for things to do, I came across the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. Located in a different part of the city that I had never been to and on the beautiful afternoon, it seemed like a great destination.
After the short journey, I departed the metro station and made my way toward the Royal Observatory, passing the statue of William IV, the Maritime Museum, the Queen’s House Museum and finally making the climb uphill through Greenwich Park.
Paying my admission, I entered the Royal Observatory grounds and strode into the courtyard.
The first thing I noticed was all of the tourists trying to get their best shot straddling the brass line which is marked with the latitudinal coordinates of major countries of the world. So, of course I took my turn, amazed that I was actually standing on spot, chosen in 1884, to define the time zones for all countries and cities of the world.
Why Greenwich? The United States originally had chosen Greenwich as the basis for its own time zone system, but in the late 19th century, the majority of the world’s commerce depended on sea-charts. These sea-charts used Greenwich as the Prime Meridian.
If you can recall my blog post, “Calling All Dan Brown Fans” from a couple of years ago, you will already know that this was not my first time encountering the Prime Meridian. Visiting Saint-Sulpice in Paris, made famous by the Dan Brown novel, The Da Vinci Code, I then stood astride the brass line (called the Rose Line in the book) which is marked by a brass strip on the floor of the church. For those wondering, Paris’ longitude and latitude coordinates are 48.8566° N, 2.3522° E and I fondly remembered this visit as I noticed Paris marked on the Prime Meridian here in Greenwich.
There was much more to explore at the Royal Observatory, I soon discovered.
The Flamsteed House was designed and built by Sir Christopher Wren, the builder of St. Paul’s Cathedral, under orders of King Charles II. Wren, also an astronomer, began the construction in 1675 and it was completed by the following year.
As I walked through the Flamsteed House, I learned of the ten royal astronomers who lived in the house with their families for nearly three centuries. There are many of the families possessions on display throughout the home,
Eventually, making my way to the Octagon Room, I learned that it is one of the few surviving interiors by Sir Christopher Wren, also responsible for St. Paul’s Cathedral. This grand room was designed mainly for important guests hoping to try their hand at astronomy in elegant surroundings with thirteen foot windows designed for the long telescopes used at the time. While visitors at the time mainly observed eclipses, comets and other celestial events, today’s visitors can observe the beautiful portraits, the unique ceiling, some astronomical instruments and two clocks, concealed behind paneling which only need winding once a year. Using 13 foot pendulums behind the paneling, these clocks still keep amazingly accurate time.
Moving on, I investigated the Time and Longitude and Time and Greenwich galleries which tell the story of the quest to find longitude at sea before satellite navigation was the norm and the need to develop accurate timekeepers. The Harrison sea clocks and the actual GPS receiver used by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston on his round-the-world voyage in 1994 are the centerpieces of these galleries.
Exiting the Flamsteed house, I took a look skyward, not hoping to see anything celestial, but the time ball which sits atop the house. One of the world’s earliest public time signals, in operation since 1833, the bright red ball drops at 1pm each day.
To the left, I headed to the overlook and admired the view of the Queen’s House and the National Maritime Museum in the waning afternoon light. Ducking into a curtained doorway, I discovered the summerhouse which houses a camera obscura. This camera uses a lens and rotating mirror to project a close-up real-time moving panorama of Greenwich and the Thames, the National Maritime Museum and the Royal Naval College.
Finally, I entered the last part of the observatory which houses astronomical instruments used to make meridian observations and the impressive Great Equatorial Telescope. I must say, seeing the size and complexity of this massive instrument is mind boggling. The largest telescope of its kind in the United Kingdom and the seventh largest in in the world, it was built over 100 years ago. You can channel your inner Sir Christopher Wren and take a peek during the observatory’s Evenings With the Stars. I may have to come back on another trip!
Not sure what to expect when I decided to venture out to Greenwich, I was quite pleased with what I found at the Royal Observatory and in Greenwich itself. A very educational experience, I loved that I have now stood at the Prime Meridian in two different cities. I also learned a great deal about the history of astronomy and time. Passing so many other available attractions in the picturesque borough…The Queen’s House Art Gallery, the Maritime Museum, and the fabulous Cutty Sark…I know that I have to make the return journey in the future.
Greenwich is a happening place!
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Royal Observatory
- https://www.rmg.co.uk/
- Address: Blackheath Ave, London SE10 8XJ, UK
- Hours: 1000-1700, daily (including bank holidays), closed December 24-26.
- Admission: Adult, £13.50, Child £5.85
- Getting There: Located 8 minutes from Central London by rail, 20 minutes by DLR and also by boat access. Stations nearby are Cutty Sark DLR, Greenwich rail station and Maze Hill rail station and Greenwich Pier.