Explore stories

This beautiful 17th century telescope needs careful treatment before going on display. Object Conservator Rachel Roberts eyes up the issues

Find out more about the founding of the Royal Observatory, and how Greenwich came to be known as the 'Home of Time'

In this blog we explore the remarkable life of Charles Todd, a Greenwich astronomer who championed Australia's Overland Telegraph Line

The Great Equatorial Telescope at the Royal Observatory kept Britain at the forefront of astrophysics and greatly expanded our knowledge of stars

In this blog we look at a practical astronomical work written by the husband and wife team of Walter and Annie Maunder. The Maunders worked in the Solar Department of the Royal Observatory Greenwich in the early 1890s.

Learn more about how William Herschel discovered Uranus in 1781, the first new planet that had been discovered since antiquity

Discover the history and stories behind the Royal Observatory's weathervanes

From comets to supernova explosions, discover some of the theories about the Star of Bethlehem

John Dee (1527-1609) was a philosopher and scholar whose work during the Tudor period has been overshadowed by his alleged sorcerous and occultist activities. He is best known for having conversations with angels through his scryer Edward Kelley's interests in astrology, alchemy, calendar reform and suggesting the date for Queen Elizabeth's coronation. What John Dee may not be as well known for is his influence on English navigation and being the first person to coin the term 'British Empire'.