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 holiday beacon of light
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Welcome to Scotland s garden
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Antarctica Day
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Old underground cellar, Bavaria, Germany
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Replica of a Viking home in Dublin National Botanic Gardens, Ireland
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And you thought moths were boring
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International Day of the Tropics
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Barracudas at Shark Reef, Ras Mohammed National Park, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
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Poinsettia Day
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It s International Jazz Day
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Mexico celebrates its Independence Day
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Spring equinox
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Acadia transformed
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Heri es-Swani in Meknes, Morocco
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Bản Giốc–Detian Falls, Vietnam
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It’s Napping Day
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Mont-Saint-Michel
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Jazzed for Mardi Gras
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Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
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Holey moley–it’s National Doughnut Day!
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Red squirrel
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Entoloma hochstetteri mushroom at Lake Mahinapua, New Zealand
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Salmon return to the Copper River
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Fire-damaged forest near Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado
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Peel Castle on St. Patrick’s Isle with the Isle of Man in the background
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The confluence of the Arve and Rhône Rivers
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World Lizard Day
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Western Monarch Day
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Seasonal lights dazzle in Japan
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Celtic Colours International Festival, Canada
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

