Longitude

About the Book

Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time is a book written by Dava Sobel. The book was first published in 1995 and explores the historical quest to determine longitude at sea, a problem that perplexed scientists and navigators for centuries.

Author: Dava Sobel

Dava Sobel is an American author and science writer known for her ability to make complex scientific topics accessible to the general public. Her work on Longitude brought widespread attention to the story of John Harrison, the self-taught clockmaker who invented the marine chronometer, a device that revolutionized navigation.

Correspondence to the Series

The series "Longitude" closely follows the narrative and historical details presented in Sobel's book. It captures the essence of the challenges faced by John Harrison and the eventual triumph of his inventions. The adaptation remains faithful to the book's portrayal of the scientific and personal struggles involved in solving the longitude problem.

Historical Background

The series "Longitude" is based on the true story of the quest to solve one of the greatest scientific challenges of the 18th century: determining a ship's longitude at sea. This was a critical issue for navigation, as sailors needed to know their exact position to avoid shipwrecks and ensure safe passage.

The Longitude Problem

Before the solution was found, sailors could determine their latitude by measuring the sun's angle at noon, but longitude was much more difficult to ascertain. The inability to accurately determine longitude led to numerous maritime disasters.

John Harrison's Contribution

The central figure in this historical narrative is John Harrison, a self-educated English carpenter and clockmaker. Harrison dedicated his life to solving the longitude problem by creating a series of increasingly accurate timepieces. His work culminated in the invention of the marine chronometer, a device that allowed sailors to determine their longitude by comparing the time at a known location (such as Greenwich) with the local time on board the ship.

The Marine Chronometer

• H1: Harrison's first sea clock, completed in 1735, was a large and complex device.
• H2: His second and third models improved upon the design but were still not practical for widespread use.
• H4: Harrison's fourth timepiece, completed in 1761, was a breakthrough. It was a portable watch that proved to be accurate enough for practical use at sea.

The Longitude Act and the Board of Longitude

In 1714, the British government passed the Longitude Act, offering a substantial monetary prize for anyone who could devise a practical method for determining longitude at sea. The Board of Longitude was established to evaluate the submissions. Despite the success of Harrison's H4, he faced numerous challenges in convincing the board of its efficacy and securing the full prize money.

Accuracy of the Series

The series "Longitude" is based on the book by Dava Sobel, which provides a detailed account of Harrison's life and the longitude problem. The series is generally considered to be a faithful representation of the historical events, capturing both the technical challenges and the personal struggles faced by Harrison in his quest for recognition and reward.