The Royal Observatory, Greenwich was founded in 1675 by King Charles II, who directed its first Astronomer Royal, John Flamsteed, to apply himself to correcting the tables of the motions of the heavens and the places of the fixed stars so as to find the so much desired longitude at sea. It became the world's foremost centre for positional astronomy and navigation, and its meridian line was adopted internationally in 1884 as the Prime Meridian, zero degrees longitude, giving its name to Greenwich Mean Time, the ancestor of today's Coordinated Universal Time.
Facts
Founded YearSourced to the subject's own account FounderSourced to the subject's own accountKing Charles II; first Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed 1 SeatSourced to the subject's own accountGreenwich, London, England 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Founded By
King Charles II chartered the observatory by royal warrant; Flamsteed, appointed first Astronomer Royal in the same year, laid its foundation stone and built it into a working institution.
Has Member
Second Astronomer Royal, in post from 1720 until his death in 1742.
Sources
1. Royal Observatory, Greenwich (Wikipedia)
WikipediaEstablishment sectionQuote, Establishment section
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
Edmond Halley (Wikipedia)
John Flamsteed (Wikipedia)
WikipediaFounded By: John Flamsteed, Astronomer Royal sectionQuote, Founded By: John Flamsteed, Astronomer Royal section
On 4 March 1675 Flamsteed was appointed by royal warrant The Kings Astronomical Observator, the first English Astronomer Royal... In June 1675, another royal warrant provided for the founding of the Royal Greenwich Observatory, and Flamsteed laid the foundation stone on 10 August.
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