Octagon Room,Greenwich. This room,at the Royal Observatory,Greenwich,London,England,was used by the first Astronomer Royal,John Flamsteed,to make observations. At left,a sextant is being used,and at right,a telescope. The original observatory building,founded in 1675,is now called Flamsteed House. For centuries,Greenwich was the centre of astronomical and meteorological research in the UK. The clocks on the wall in the background are the Tompion clocks,installed 1676,the most accurate clocks available at the time. On the wall are portraits of the patrons,including King Charles II |