This virtual cache site is located along the Prime Meridian, on
the grounds of the Royal Observatory Greenwich, wherein lie many
wonders germane to navigation.
Since the Prime Meridian is over 12,000 miles long, one could
place such a cache in quite a few locations. However, it is
especially appropriate to site this cache here for a variety of
reasons.
The Royal Observatory was founded in 1675 by Charles II
specifically to solve the problem of longitude when at sea and out
of sight of land.
This problem became somewhat more urgent in 1707, when a
disaster at sea killed over 2,000 men, prompting calls for more
reliable means of navigation. Parliament responded by establishing
the Board of Longitude in 1714, and offering a £20,000 reward
(equivalent to £2 million today!) to anyone who could solve the
problem of accurately determining longitude at sea.
The problem was solved, but not for almost 60 years. The prize
was claimed not by a mathematician, scientist or astronomer, but by
a Yorkshire carpenter turned clockmaker, named John Harrison. The
Observatory contains many wonderful clocks in its exhibition,
including working models of four of Harrison's ground-breaking
clocks. His H4 chronometer changed navigation forever, and is
actually slightly smaller than my current GPSR!
As so often happens, the ability to accurately determine
longitude led to a whole new problem: where does one measure it
from? This was a thorny problem since most towns in the world at
that time kept their own local time. The development of extensive
railroad and communication systems during the 1850's and 1860's
made the need for a universal standard even more imperative. This
issue was finally resolved by the International Meridian Conference
in 1884, during which the Greenwich Meridian was chosen to be the
Prime Meridian of the World. For more fascinating information on
this event (including who voted against Greenwich and who
abstained), visit the wonderful Royal Observatory Greenwich
website.
This virtual cache site is physically easy to visit, even in a
wheelchair, but must be visited during daylight hours, since it is
on the grounds of the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Fortunately,
this is not difficult, since the Museum is open 7 days a week, 1000
to 1700 (until 1800 during the summer), and the last admission is
30 minutes before closing. Admission to the meridian courtyard and
Flamsteed House now costs £10 for adults. However, the meridian
marker also extends outside the gates to the north, where it can be
visited for free.
These coordinates should lead you to an area crowded by
geomuggles, all queueing up to have their picture taken standing on
the Prime Meridian in front of the meridian statuary. Feel free to
join this long line or stand in the much shorter line for
the northern marker outside the gates, because you'll need just
such a picture of yourself to successfully log this cache. While
you're waiting in line, use your GPSR unit to measure the exact
latitude and longitude over the Prime Meridian.
How to Log This Virtual Cache
To successfully log this virtual cache, you must do the
following 3 things:
- Post a picture on this site of you and your GPSR standing on
the Prime Meridian in front of the statue. If you arrive after
hours or if the line inside is too long or if you
can't afford the entry fee, you may also use a picture taken on the
line located on the north wall of the observatory, just outside the
fence (example
1,
example 2).
- Post the coordinates on this site that you measure for this
spot with your own GPSR unit.
- You may be fascinated (as I was) to note that your measured
longitude directly over the Prime Meridian is not 000°
00.000'. Find out why this is so and e-mail the answer to me.
Please do not post that answer on this site.
