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Royal Observatory

As England developed colonies and trading interests during the 17th century it became essential that her warships and merchant vessels could navigate the oceans.

Charles II appointed the first Astronomer Royal, John Flamsteed, whose tables of star observations would help his sailors to calculate their position at sea with greater accuracy when out of sight of land.

The Tower of London, however, was not ideal for astronomy so the Royal Observatory was built at Greenwich.

Constellations of the zodiac from John Flamsteed’s book; Atlas Coelestis, 1729.


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NAPOLEONIC GUN FIRING

Ubique Right of the Line and HMS Loire will be firing guns from the Napoleonic period. There will be two displays, one at 12.00 and one at 15.00.

23 June 2013

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Did you know?

A flash in the pan

This expression originates with the misfire of a flintlock or similar gun. The powder in the pan was supposed to ignite the main charge in the barrel. Sometimes only the powder in the pan flashed without firing the main charge.