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John Flamsteed and The Origins of the Greenwich Astronomical Tradition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2009

Eric G. Forbes
Eric G. Forbes
Affiliation:
(University of Edinburgh)
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Extract

The work of the Greenwich Observatory throughout the three centuries of its existence has been characterized by the painstaking efforts of its eminent directors to attain an ever-increasing degree of precision in pinpointing the positions of the heavenly bodies, with a view to the improvement of the science of navigation. The pursuit of this purpose, in accordance with the express desire of its founder King Charles II, has been assisted by the steady improvement in the accuracy of the instruments with which it has been equipped, and these have naturally also been applied to investigating problems of a purely theoretical nature. Nevertheless, the tradition pioneered by the first Astronomical Observator (or Astronomer Royal) John Flamsteed (1646–1719) whom the King in 1675 charged with rectifying the coordinates and motions of the heavenly bodies, has remained predominantly practical and utilitarian.

Type
The Eva G. R. Taylor Lecture
Information
The Journal of Navigation , Volume 28 , Issue 3 , July 1975 , pp. 251 - 262
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Institute of Navigation 1975

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References

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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