Royal Observatory Greenwich

The Royal Observatory Greenwich is an observatory located in Greenwich Park. It has played a significant role in the history of astronomy and navigation. The observatory is best known as the location of the prime meridian- Greenwich Mean Time, where East meets West. The observatory is a member of The International Astronomical Union and since 2011, also the Royal Museums of Greenwich.

Royal Observatory Greenwich – tourists attractions

The idea of establishing the Royal Observatory was proposed in 1674 by Sir Jonas Moore, who was serving the role of Surveyors General at the Ordnance Office. The observatory foundation stone was laid in August 1675. Site was chosen by Sir Christopher Wren and commissioned by King Charles II. British astronomers have been using the Royal Observatory as the basis of our geographic reference grid. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) was until 1954 based on celestial observations made at Greenwich. GMT was even formally renamed as Universal Time in 1935. Nowadays, the observatory became a museum of astronomical and navigational tools. Thanks to its notable and interesting exhibitions we can discover the site’s rich history and present its discoveries. Just to mention, the “Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year Exhibition” which allows visitors to admire the most spectacular image shots taken by astrophotographers from all over the world. While visiting the observatory it is essential to see London’s Planetarium and take a tour of the Universe. Get ready to set your foot on Mars or fly to the heart of the Sun and beyond, to distant galaxies, observe the birth of a star, or fascinating solar superstorms! Another absolutely indispensable object to admire is the Great Equatorial Telescope. This 28 inch refracting telescope is the largest of its kind in the UK and still one of the biggest in the whole world. Its main purpose was to find and research double star systems and it was operational until the late 1960s. Recently it was updated with computer aided guidance system and a CCD camera and continues to be an excellent tool to observe the night sky. These and more exhibitions await you at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.

The most interesting facts according to Connect-Click:

• On 15^th February 1894 there was an attempt of placing a bomb in the Royal Observatory.
  This was probably the first terrorist attack in Britain. The bomb was detonated while being held by French anarchist Martial Bourdin near the Observatory building.
• The famous Onion dome survived two bombings during Second World War.

 

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