Finding Longitude National Maritime Museum Et Al. 2014

 Official publication of the National Maritime Museum's exhibition Ships, Clocks and Stars: The Quest for Longitude.300 years ago, amidst growing frustration from the naval community and pressure from the increasing importance of international trade, the British government passed the 1714 Longitude Act. It was an attempt to solve one of the most pressing problems of the age: how to determine a ships longitude (east-west position) at sea.With life-changing rewards on offer, the challenge captured the imaginations and talents of astronomers, skilled craftsmen, politicians, seamen and satirists. This beautifully illustrated book is a detailed account of these stories, and how the longitude problem was solved.Highlights of the book include:• Foreword by the fifteenth Astronomer Royal, Martin Rees.• Specially commissioned photographs of the National Maritime Museums collection.• A new description of the collaborations and conflicts in a tale of technical creativity, scientific innovation and hard commercialism.  An E-book in PDF format. The file will  be sent to your e-mail address after payment.