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US Naval Observatory: The Science Behind Time and Global Navigation
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Technology

US Naval Observatory: The Science Behind Time and Global Navigation

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • The U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO), known for housing the vice president's residence, uses atomic clocks, telescopes, and scientists to precisely determine location and time.
  • Established in 1830 as a repository for navigational instruments, the USNO now creates reference frames for Earth's position and time using astronomical observations and advanced techniques.
  • The institution produces positioning, navigation, and timing data for the U.S. Department of Defense and maintains its own reference time scale, UTC (USNO).

Behind the walls of the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO), a facility also known for housing the vice president's residence, a blend of cutting-edge atomic clocks, historic telescopes, and dedicated scientists works to establish precise global positioning and timing.

Founded in 1830 as a repository for chronometers and nautical charts, the USNO's initial mission was to calibrate instruments for the U.S. Navy's navigation. Its astronomical observations allowed ships to accurately calculate their positions at sea. Today, the institution has evolved significantly, focusing on creating "reference frames" that define Earth's position and time with extreme accuracy. This involves observing active galactic nuclei associated with supermassive black holes and other advanced techniques.

One cannot know where one is if one does not know when one is.

— Kim RupleyKim Rupley, head of public affairs at the USNO, explained the fundamental principle of navigation during a press tour of the facility.

Among its treasures are a sidereal clock acquired in the 1840s and the "Great Equatorial," a 26-inch refractor telescope that was once the world's largest. This telescope, still operational after 150 years, was instrumental in determining the masses of Uranus and Neptune and was used by astronomer Asaph Hall to discover Mars's moons, Phobos and Deimos. It also holds a record for the most double-star observations by a single telescope.

The USNO's specialized library houses over 80,000 materials, including scientific publications, historical documents, and instruments crucial to the development of astronomy and navigation. The observatory produces essential positioning, navigation, and timing data for the U.S. Department of Defense and maintains UTC (USNO), its reference time scale. "We are one of many entities responsible for timekeeping worldwide," noted astrophysicist Ryan Pfeifle.

We are one of many entities responsible for timekeeping worldwide.

— Ryan PfeifleAstrophysicist Ryan Pfeifle of the Observatory's scientific team highlighted the USNO's role in global timekeeping.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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