Revolution in Time: Newtonian Physics and its Influence on John Harrison’s Pendulum Clocks
Wednesday, 5 October 2016
Lecture Theatre, National Maritime Museums, Greenwich
Following the extraordinary trials of Burgess Clock B at the Royal Observatory, the History of Physics group of the Institute of Physics will convene a one-day conference at the National Maritime Museum on Wednesday, 5 October. Papers will explore the influences of Newtonian physics on the fundamental principles of John Harrison’s pendulum clocks. There will be an opportunity to visit the Royal Observatory to see Burgess Clock B alongside John Harrison’s sea clocks and ‘Late Regulator.’
Cost: free for Institute of Physics members; £25 for non-members.
Programme:
10.00 Registration and refreshments
10.30 Welcome and introduction
Rory McEvoy, Royal Museums Greenwich
10.35 Newton and resisted motion
Peter Rowlands, University of Liverpool
11.10 As three is to two or very nearly
Mervyn Hobden
11.45 Discussion
12.00 Lunch and an opportunity to see Clock B at the Royal Observatory
14.00 Clock B: setting the record straight
Rory McEvoy, Royal Museums Greenwich
14.30 An engineering model of the Harrison Pendulum Oscillator System
John Haine, University of Bristol
15.00 Coffee and tea
15.30 Harrison, Hogarth and lines of beauty
Katy Barrett, Royal Museums Greenwich
16.00 Replicating Harrison’s Late Regulator
Colin Fergusson
16.30 Discussion and closing remarks
Attendees must register in advance with Lizelle de Jager (ldejager@rmg.co.uk)