Astronomy Digital Picture
26 Jan 2009
Credit & Copyright: Naveen Nanjundappa
The Royal Observatory, Greenwich was commissioned in 1675 by King Charles II, At this time the king also created the position of Astronomer Royal to serve as the director of the observatory.
Charles II appointed John Flamsteed as his first Astronomer Royal in March 1675. The Observatory was built to improve navigation at sea and ‘find the so-much desired longitude of places’ – one’s exact position east and west – while at sea and out of sight of land, by astronomical means. This was inseparable from the accurate measurement of time, for which the Observatory became generally famous in the 19th century.
Tomorrow’s picture - Andromeda Galaxy.
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