TO THE MOON PRESENTATION

Presentation

introduction to astronomy

Significance of astronomy to modern day science

Video

The prime meridian

Famous astronomers of England

Timeline

The Royal observatory in greenwich

What is astronomy

Objective

index

The objective of this course is for you to understand the importance of astronomy as a science and its role in the past that lead to the development of England as a strong nation and an important nation worldwide.

objective

As Europeans embarked on maritime expeditions to discover new lands and engage in international trade, there arose a demand for abundant and precise astronomical data to support navigation, map-making, and time measurement. This requirement encompassed the challenge of determining longitudinal measurements. It was this complex puzzle that eventually culminated in the establishment of the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

the royal observatory of greenwich

TIMELINE

1990

The Royal Observatory Greenwich opens to the public.

1884

The prime meridian is established at the royal observatory

1760

Nevil Maskelyne’s tables for finding longitude at sea make possible for the world to be charted with a new, scientific accuracy.

1675

John Flamsteed becomes the first Astronomer Royal

1674

Charles II appointed a Royal Commission to create an observatory

According to Britannica, astronomy is the field of science that covers the exploration of all extraterrestrial sky objects and phenomena. Prior to the 17th century's development of the telescope and the unveiling of the laws governing motion and gravity, astronomy predominantly revolved around observing and predicting the positions of the Sun, Moon, and planets. Initially, this was done for purposes like creating calendars and astrology, later evolving into navigational aids and scientific curiosity.

Astronomy: what is it?

Some famous British astronomers

Nevil Maskelyne (1765-1811)

Nevil Maskelyne also played a key role in solving the problem of longitude, through his advocation of lunar tables.

William Herschel (1738–1822)

Brother of Caroline Herschel, he discovered Uranus and its moons. He also cataloged thousands of deep-sky objects, expanding our understanding of the Milky Way's structure.

Caroline Herschel (1750–1848)

A pioneering female astronomer, Herschel discovered several comets and cataloged star clusters and nebulae. She was the first woman to receive a salary for scientific work.

Edmond Halley (1656–1742)

Halley accurately predicted the return of the comet that now bears his name, "Halley's Comet." He made significant contributions to celestial mechanics and encouraged Isaac Newton to publish his work "Principia Mathematica

The establishment of the Prime Meridian at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich was a significant event in the history of navigation, astronomy, and timekeeping.Before the establishment of the Prime Meridian, various countries and regions used their own local meridians as reference points for longitude measurements. This lack of standardized longitude measurements made navigation challenging, especially for long sea voyages. There was a need for a global standard to aid navigation and coordinate international activities.

The prime meridian

In October 1884, representatives from 25 countries gathered in Washington, D.C., for the International Meridian Conference. The primary objective of the conference was to agree on a single prime meridian that would serve as the global standard for measuring longitude.

International Meridian Conference (1884)

Impact and Significance:
Global Standard: The adoption of the Greenwich Prime Meridian established a universal reference point for longitude measurements. This standardized navigation and allowed sailors, explorers, and cartographers to accurately determine their positions and chart their courses.
Timekeeping: The decision also led to the establishment of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) as the standard for international timekeeping. This was the basis for coordinating activities around the world and eventually led to the creation of time zones.
Scientific Collaboration: It marked one of the earliest instances of international scientific collaboration.

Choice of Greenwich: The Royal Observatory in Greenwich was proposed as the prime meridian for several reasons:
It was already a well-established center of astronomical research and navigation.
Astronomer Royal Sir George Airy's work in the mid-19th century had already established the Greenwich meridian as a reference for scientific observations and charts.
The observatory's advanced equipment and accurate astronomical observations made it a suitable choice.

ViDEO

Here there is a quick video that can help you to understand better what the prime meridian it is important

Thanks to the discoveries made in the Royal Observatory, now we have a standard way to measure time, and we can have a reference point so we can localize our position on the globe, those things might sound simple, but knowing where we are and keeping the time allows to make a bunch of different things. Science is a tool for mankind's wellbeing.

SIgnificance of astronomy to modern-day science

Carl Sagan

"Across the sea of space the stars are other suns"

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