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Tag Archives: Nevil Maskelyne
On the Attraction of Mountains (and anniversaries for two of them)
My blog began with a tale of the contouring of Schiehallion in Scotland. It is a mountain that has proved itself very attractive on many occasions. Another magnificent peak is Slieve Sneacht in Ireland, and both are associated with momentous mapping innovations … Continue reading
Time (and a ‘second fiddle’ post)
Mostly this blog concerns itself with space, place and their representations on maps, ‘time’ plays second fiddle. But the Lines of Attraction mini-fest contained so many time distortions I thought they deserved unpacking. Without a watch and with no phone … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Altitude, Carlo Rovelli, Jon Plunkett, Lines of Attraction, Nevil Maskelyne, Schiehallion, Surveyor, The Yellow London Lady, Time
2 Comments
Companionship, Place and the Contour Walk
“What apps do you use?” We’re on the first steep climb to reach the 700m altitude of our Contour Walk on Schiehallion, a mountain that can descend into cloud at the drop of a hat, so to have navigation tools … Continue reading
The Fiddle
Musical instruments have insect-like ‘life-cycles’, sheathed in hard-casing they’re dormant most of the time, then burst into life when picked up and played. And they can ‘live’ 100’s of years. “The Yellow London Lady” – gifted to Duncan Robertson in … Continue reading
Slam
Late notice, apologies. I’m talking about the project again, this time it’s at a Research Slam in Edinburgh, (tomorrow night). It’s free, so if you’re in the vicinity – and free – please come along: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-library-research-slam-tickets-30073045288
Talk about Hutton
Without Professor Robin Johnson there would be no ‘centre piece’ map in the exhibition, Robin was able to enlighten and elucidate on the maths Charles Hutton used in inventing lines of equal altitude. As Nevil Maskelyne – the Astronomer Royal … Continue reading
Shape of a Mountain
A photo of Schiehallion is an impressive thing, with great hunk with spine aloft, the mountain rises magnificently out of its surroundings. But before photography – and prior to contours – depicting a mountain and suggesting its elevation had quite … Continue reading
Scaling the Mountain
Journey north: A1, A9; spent pondering scales for drawings: A3, A5? No need to curse the ‘badnef of the weather’ this time, heading for the camp site I see Schiehallion’s Western Edge for the first time; a cool pinnacle glistening … Continue reading
Great lines, Faint lines
It’s not even a page in length; there is just one paragraph that makes clear Hutton is inventing a new type of line: “This method was the connecting together by a faint line all the points which were of the … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Altitude, Astronomer Royal, Bifurcation, Charles Hutton, Contour Lines, History of Cartography, John Muir Trust, Maps, Mathematician, Nevil Maskelyne, Ordnance Survey, Prof Robin Johnson, Schiehallion, Spot Heights, Surveyor, The Lit & Phil, The Royal Society, Walking
2 Comments
Chas. Hutton – The Man
Charles Hutton was born in Newcastle in 1737; I wonder what he himself would have cited as his greatest achievement? He had much to be proud of: good at maths, his first teaching post was in Jesmond, for how many … Continue reading
The Great Lines 