2-day Marine Chronometer

Title

2-day Marine Chronometer

Subject

Astronomy
Clocks

Description

Mahogany wood, brass, silver, glass

Chronometer of 56-hour duration is set in gimbals in a mahogany box. Serial number #2805. John Bliss and Company was active 1857-1956.

Marine chronometer within wood box with hinged lid measuring 7-inches by 7-inches by 7-inches. Includes a label with University of Illinois in script. A pendulum clock would not work well on an ocean vessel. Knowing the time to within a second was critical for marine vessels to determine their position and navigate. A 19th century marine chronometer used a balance wheel to regulate the time. In addition they were gimbaled within the box to counter the movement of the ship.

A photograph from Oct 5, 1957 shows a box chronometer sitting next to radio receiving equipment that was being used to track Sputnik. Unknown which chronometer but it shows that at least one existed until 1957. Stebbins listed as worth $50 in 1908.

Creator

John Bliss & Company, New York

Source

Harvard has an example, serial number 2620 dates 1880s at http://waywiser.fas.harvard.edu/objects/2763/56hour-marine-chronometer

Publisher

Astronomy Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, Il

Date

Circa 1885

Contributor

Michael Svec

Rights

copyright Michael Svec

Language

English

Type

physical object

Identifier

University of Illinois Observatory Collection A128

Coverage

University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Illinois

Files

DSC_0164.jpg

Collection

Citation

John Bliss & Company, New York, “2-day Marine Chronometer,” University of Illinois Observatory Collection, accessed March 29, 2024, https://uiobservatory.omeka.net/items/show/72.