SIGNED EDITION
 
Royal Observatory Greenwich: A History in Objects, by Louise Devoy (Hardback)
 
When King Charles II signed the royal warrant that led to the founding of the Royal Observatory in 1675, it was to ensure that Britain was not left behind other European nations as they pursued global trade and resources. Now, in its 350th year, the ‘small observatory within our park at Greenwich’ is perhaps the most famous such institution in the world, home to the historic Prime Meridian of the World, 0° longitude, and an essential reference on our clocks, watches, maps and globes.
 
The objects contained within the pages of this book highlight the many people, ideas and technologies that contributed to ‘perfecting the art of navigation’ and mapping the stars. They include some of the most famous objects in the Royal Observatory’s collection, like John Harrison’s pioneering timekeepers, the Great Equatorial Telescope and the Shepherd Motor Clock, along with lesser-known items that document how our ideas about time and space have changed over the centuries. In addition, they reflect the Observatory’s varied functions: as a data service for stellar, lunar and planetary positions and timings; as a hub of global significance for leading researchers, intellectuals and craftsmen; as the site of early astrophotography; and even as a private home for the families of the Astronomers Royal.