Meridian Longitude |top| (2024)

The problem: pendulum clocks were useless on rolling ships. The British government offered the (worth millions in today’s money) for a practical solution. It was won by John Harrison , a self-taught clockmaker who built rugged marine chronometers in the 18th century.

Unlike the Equator, which is a natural midpoint for latitude, there is no "natural" starting point for longitude. Throughout history, different cultures used their own "prime" meridians, such as the Paris Meridian or lines through the Canary Islands. What is longitude? - NOAA's National Ocean Service meridian longitude

While latitude measures distance north or south of the Equator, longitude measures distance east or west of a reference line. This system allows any location on Earth to be pinpointed with exact coordinates. The problem: pendulum clocks were useless on rolling ships

Every 15° of longitude roughly corresponds to one . In theory, there are 24 standard time zones (360° ÷ 15° = 24). In practice, time zone boundaries are adjusted for political and economic convenience. Unlike the Equator, which is a natural midpoint