A Guide to the Royal Observatory, Greenwich

If you are lucky enough to travel to London, England, you MUST take in The Royal Observatory at Greenwich and the nearby National Maritime Museum. At the conclusion of your tour, you'll be offered an opportunity to purchase "A Guide to the Royal Observatory Greenwich: The Story of Time and Space". Don't pass that opportunity by! A magnificent piece of adult brain and eye candy, this colourful booklet not only serves as a wonderful souvenir of an exciting tourist attraction but would also act as a stand alone collection of short introductory stories and photographic essays on a wide variety of scientific topics relating to measurement of time and space on our planet - the historical basis for the establishment of Greenwich as the location for the prime meridian and the use of GMT as the basis for the International Time Zone System; the crucial search for longitude; the historical foundation of the observatory by King Charles II and the appointment of John Flamsteed as the first Astronomer Royal; the story of John Harrison's painstaking construction of his prize-winning chronometer; the creation of standard time and the life and work at the observatory as it exists today. For those privileged to attend at either the Royal Observatory or the related displays in the adjacent National Maritime Museum, this book is an inexpensive memento that should not be missed. As a stand-alone read, even for those not so lucky to see the real McCoy on a trip through London, England, it represents an enjoyable half hour's reading and gawking at some thoroughly delicious photographs. If you know you're going to have a chance to see the Observatory in the future, try to get a copy of this book in advance. It will make your visit infinitely more informative and enjoyable. Highly recommended. Paul Weiss