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Originally posted by bilofsky We should have admired the clock on my wrist a little more.
We got to Greenwich about a quarter to 5. All we had time to do was hit the gift shop; then everything was closed.
Sorry to hear that Walt. You missed an amazing exhibition. Dava Sobell wrote a book called Longitude which is an excellent narrative on the clocks. It is one of the few books I enjoy to read time and again. There is also a DVD based on the book which charts the life of Harrison and the dreadful treatment he received from the leading scientific lights of his age. Of course, this has nothing to do with GPS directly, but it is a romantic tale woven on the loom of fact. Quite inspiring!
Location: N 47.23 W 122.43 (near Seattle, WA, USA)
Posts: 95
Nice picture, Walt. I enjoyed the thread you referred us to, as well. Last time I was in Greenwich was before I'd ever heard about GPS. Even Loran for navigating was hot stuff.
Bokkie, thanks for the reminder about "Longitude." I'd forgotten about it and have just requested it from the library. Too bad we don't have the DVD you referred to.
'Wish I'd had my Garmin when I was on the equator in Ecuador. If I get back there I'll make a point to take a picture of the screen. Anyone going to the Equator in the near future? Kit
Originally posted by Kit Nice picture, Walt. I enjoyed the thread you referred us to, as well. Last time I was in Greenwich was before I'd ever heard about GPS. Even Loran for navigating was hot stuff.
Bokkie, thanks for the reminder about "Longitude." I'd forgotten about it and have just requested it from the library. Too bad we don't have the DVD you referred to.
'Wish I'd had my Garmin when I was on the equator in Ecuador. If I get back there I'll make a point to take a picture of the screen. Anyone going to the Equator in the near future? Kit
Kit the DVD should be available where you are (US?) as it was a combined production between a Boston media/TV group and possibly the BBC I think. It's widely available, beautifully filmed, and compulsive viewing.
Location: N 47.23 W 122.43 (near Seattle, WA, USA)
Posts: 95
Broadcast of Longitude program in North America
Quote:
Originally posted by Bokkie Dava Sobell wrote a book called Longitude which is an excellent narrative on the clocks. It is one of the few books I enjoy to read time and again. There is also a DVD based on the book which charts the life of Harrison and the dreadful treatment he received from the leading scientific lights of his age. Of course, this has nothing to do with GPS directly, but it is a romantic tale woven on the loom of fact. Quite inspiring!
We just watched the TV program of Sobell's book, "NOVA: Lost at Sea: The Search for Longitude." It was on our local PBS affiliate (Public Broadcast System) and is due to be rebroadcast here 8/14 at 2:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Check your local station for date and time of broadcast, as they say. Well worth seeing. I enjoyed her book thoroughly, too.
Re: Broadcast of Longitude program in North America
Quote:
Originally posted by Kit We just watched the TV program of Sobell's book, "NOVA: Lost at Sea: The Search for Longitude."
That might be a rename of the same that I have on DVD. Does it have British actors? I'd hate to think the one you are watching is the US perspective of how they solved the longtitude problem before anyone else, especially if it has Bruce Willis, John Travolta, Tom Cruise, Denzel Washington, Sylvester Stallone all competing for line honours!
I was at the Royal Observatory in June. What a beautiful place - and Harrison's clocks are truly works of art. Simply amazing machines that were many, many years ahead of their time. All designed and made by a carpenter (except H4 - it was "only" designed by a carpenter) without formal training in the art of timepiece making. I'm not knocking carpenters - just echoing the thoughts of the Longitude Board which relentlessly abused Harrison in his day.
Anyway, my wife had her iQue and found that she was a few hundred feet away from the brass line in the ground when the iQue came up full of zeros. We suspected an issue with the datum, but did not know which one to use. (We were using WGS84)
Great picture too with the observatory in the background. The pic I took had only the iQue screen in it - the reflections off the screen made the auto-focus behave poorly. But I finally took an in focus pic. It would have been nice to be at least near the brass line with zeros showing.
Originally posted by JAL2 ...the brass line in the ground...
Aye! That brass line is truly symbolic. I love Harrison's clocks. My wife has no interest in these things but I'd love to take her there to see them, so I can at least have another look as well.
Originally posted by JAL2 Great picture too with the observatory in the background. The pic I took had only the iQue screen in it - the reflections off the screen made the auto-focus behave poorly. But I finally took an in focus pic. It would have been nice to be at least near the brass line with zeros showing.
Yes, the reflections were brutal. I took probably 25 pictures with my digital camera before getting that one. Then I still had to Photoshop the screen to get it legible.
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