This laser projected from the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, in London, England, marks the prime meridian, dividing Earth’s Eastern and Western Hemispheres and helping travelers to chart their courses by establishing a universally adopted 0 degrees longitude. The meridian itself is essentially an imaginary line, arbitrarily placed. By the early 19th century, most maritime countries had established their own prime meridians to aid in navigation. But on this date in 1884, delegates from 25 nations met at a conference in Washington, DC, where they established Greenwich as the international standard for mapping and timekeeping. The decision made sense, as the Greenwich meridian was already widely used. But there was one holdout: France abstained from the vote and used its own prime meridian for several decades before eventually joining other countries in recognizing the Greenwich meridian.
‘Hello’ from zero degrees longitude
Today in History
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A city of bridges
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Monarch butterflies in Angangueo, Mexico
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Maritime forest on Cumberland Island, Georgia
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Lavender fields on the Valensole Plateau in Provence, France
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Jazzed for Mardi Gras
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A day to celebrate teachers
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Italy s submerged village
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Jerte Valley in bloom
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Lake Tai s cherry trees in bloom
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Black bear cub emerging into spring
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Star Wars Day
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Arbor Day
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Art abounds at the Palais Garnier
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The Wall for Peace
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Hot and Spicy Food Day
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Islands of the Salish Sea
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Find a Rainbow Day
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World Rainforest Day
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Quilts as high art
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A hint of spring
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International Day for Biosphere Reserves
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World Wildlife Day
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The meeting point of the winds
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Casting a vote for women s history
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Male kori bustard, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
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Happy 300th, NOLA!
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World Meteorological Day
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Bonifacio on the island of Corsica, France
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Pollinators: not to be sneezed at
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Pride Month