Royal Mail has unveiled a collection of 10 stamps celebrating the legacy and accomplishments of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich.
This collection features four illustrations of telescopes, one depicting a clock, and an image of the original observatory structure known as Flamsteed House.
Additionally, there are four special stamps dedicated to marine chronometers, innovated by clockmaker John Harrison.
Established by King Charles II in 1675, the Royal Observatory is recognized by Royal Museums Greenwich as the oldest scientific institution in Britain designed specifically for that purpose.
The observatory’s mission was to enhance star charts for improved navigation in global trade.
Its Astronomers Royal, starting with John Flamsteed, studied the stars and created groundbreaking instruments like the Airy Transit Circle and the Great Equatorial Telescope.
Royal Navy surveyors used chronometers modeled after Harrison’s timepieces to determine their longitude from Greenwich, and the establishment of charts based on the Greenwich meridian led to its designation as the prime meridian of the world at the International Meridian Conference in 1884.
The stamps are set to be available for pre-order starting Thursday, with general sales commencing on June 12.
