Observatories · London
Royal Observatory
Also known as: Arsyllfa Frenhinol Greenwich, Réadlann Ríoga Greenwich
Royal Observatory — a Grade I-listed observatory in england-london, United Kingdom.
Andres Rueda — CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–2.5 h
- Best time of year
- Moonless winter nights (Oct–Mar)
- Wheelchair accessible
About
Royal Observatory is a Grade I-listed building in england-london, United Kingdom. Grade I status is conferred by Historic England (or Cadw, Historic Environment Scotland or NIEA equivalents) on buildings of exceptional national interest. See the linked Wikipedia article for full historical and architectural details.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
The Royal Observatory, Greenwich (ROG; known as the Old Royal Observatory from 1957 to 1998, when the working Royal Greenwich Observatory, RGO, temporarily moved south from Greenwich to Herstmonceux) is an observatory situated on a hill in Greenwich Park in south east London, overlooking the River Thames to the north. It played a major role in the history of astronomy and navigation, and because the Prime Meridian passed through it, it gave its name to Greenwich Mean Time, the precursor to today's Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The ROG has the IAU observatory code of 000, the first in the list. ROG, the National Maritime Museum, the Queen's House and the clipper ship Cutty Sark are collectively designated Royal Museums Greenwich. 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. 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. 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 almost exclusively as a museum, although the Annie Maunder Astrographic Telescope (AMAT) telescope became operational for astronomical research in 2018.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The establishment of a Royal Observatory was proposed in 1674 by Sir Jonas Moore who, in his role as Surveyor-General of the Ordnance, persuaded King Charles II to create the observatory, with John Flamsteed installed as its director. The Ordnance Office was given responsibility for building the Observatory, with Moore providing the key instruments and equipment for the observatory at his own personal cost. Flamsteed House, the original part of the Observatory, was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, probably assisted by Robert Hooke, and was the first purpose-built scientific research facility in Britain. It was built for a cost of £520 (£20 over budget; ) out of largely recycled materials…
Architecture
's map of the southern celestial hemisphere, ]] There had been significant buildings on this land since the reign of William I. Greenwich Palace, on the site of the present-day National Maritime Museum, was the birthplace of both Henry VIII and his daughters Mary I and Elizabeth I; the Tudors used Greenwich Castle, which stood on the hilltop that the Observatory presently occupies, as a hunting lodge. Greenwich Castle was reportedly a favourite place for Henry VIII to house his mistresses, so that he could easily travel from the Palace to see them. In 1676 the main building of the observatory, now known as Flamsteed House, was completed on Greenwich hill.
Description
, East Sussex]] After the Second World War, in 1947, the decision was made to move the Royal Observatory to Herstmonceux Castle and 320 adjacent acres (1.3 km<sup>2</sup>), 70 km south-southeast of Greenwich near Hailsham in East Sussex, due to light pollution in London. The Observatory was officially known as the Royal Greenwich Observatory, Herstmonceux. Although the Astronomer Royal Harold Spencer Jones moved to the castle in 1948, the scientific staff did not move until the observatory buildings were completed, in 1957. Shortly thereafter, other previously dispersed departments were reintegrated at Herstmonceux, such as the Nautical Almanac Office, Chronometer Department, the library,…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.4778, -0.0014
- District
- Greenwich
- Parish
- Greenwich, unparished area
- Postcode
- SE10 8XJ
- Parliamentary constituency
- Greenwich and Woolwich
- Established
- 1675
- Official site
- www.rmg.co.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q192988 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Royal Observatory, Greenwich (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Royal Observatory?
- Royal Observatory is in London, United Kingdom (postcode SE10 8XJ), in the parish of Greenwich, unparished area.
- Is Royal Observatory a listed building?
- Royal Observatory is officially recognised as Grade I listed.
- How do I get to Royal Observatory?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode SE10 8XJ. It sits within the Greenwich and Woolwich parliamentary constituency.