Royal Observatory Greenwich

The Royal Observatory, Greenwich was established by King Charles II in 1675, the observatory was administered by the Astronomer Royal and was in use until 1998.

1) History

The Royal Observatory, Greenwich was established by King Charles II in 1675 it was in use until 1998.The Observatory was administered by the Astronomer Royal. The site of the observatory was chosen by Sir Christopher Wren. 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.[4] The building was often called "Flamsteed House", in reference to its first occupant. From 1957 to 1998 it was known as the Old Royal Observatory, when the working Royal Greenwich Observatory, RGO, moved from Greenwich to Herstmonceux) is an observatory situated on a hill in Greenwich Park, overlooking the River Thames. It played a major role in the history of astronomy and navigation, and is best known for the fact that the prime meridian passes through it, and thereby gave its name to Greenwich Mean Time. The ROG has the IAU observatory code of 000, the first in the list.[2] ROG, the National Maritime Museum, the Queen's House and Cutty Sark are collectively designated Royal Museums Greenwich. 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 AMAT telescope became operational for astronomical research in 2018.

2) Key Officials

2.1) Astronomer Royal

1. 1675–1719 John Flamsteed
2. 1720–1742 Edmond Halley
3. 1742–1762 James Bradley
4. 1762–1764 Nathaniel Bliss
5. 1765–1811 Nevil Maskelyne
6. 1811–1835 John Pond
7. 1835–1881 Sir George Biddell Airy
8. 1881–1910 Sir William Christie
9. 1910–1933 Sir Frank Dyson
10. 1933–1955 Sir Harold Spencer Jones
11. 1956–1971 Sir Richard van Riet Woolley
12. 1972–1982 Sir Martin Ryle
13. 1982–1990 Sir Francis Graham-Smith
14. 1991–1995 Sir Arnold Wolfendale
15. 1995–present Martin Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow

2) Sources

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Observatory,_Greenwich