The Marine Chronometer

Before the mid-18th century, navigators were unable to accurately determine their longitude at sea. In an effort to encourage innovators to develop a method for precisely determining a ship’s longitude, the British government began offering a prize in 1714. In 1735, John Harrison invented the first timepiece accurate enough to be used in such calculations. He spent the next 30 years improving his chronometer and was awarded a good deal of money as a result. What do ships use to navigate today? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

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