The winter of raw computers
The history of the lunar and planetary reductions of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich
Datos Bibliográficos
| ID | 8393271 |
|---|---|
| Autores | Daniel Belteki (0000-0002-8152-6244, Royal Museums Greenwich, autor de correspondencia) |
| Año | 2023 |
| Volumen | 56 |
| Número | 1 |
| Páginas | 65-81 |
| Fecha de publicación | 2023-03-01 |
| Open Access | Sí |
| Tipo | ARTICLE |
| Revista | The British Journal for the History of Science (JOURNAL) |
| Identificadores de la revista | ISSN: 0007-0874 • E-ISSN: 1474-001X |
| Editorial | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s0007087423000018 |
| PMID | 36762459 |
| OpenAlex | W4319827771 |
| Idioma | EN |
| Citas recibidas | 1 |
| Referencias citadas | 16 |
In 1839 the working hours of the computers employed on the lunar and planetary reductions of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich were reduced from eleven hours to eight hours. Previous historians have explained this decrease by reference to the generally benevolent nature of the manager of the reductions, George Biddell Airy. By contrast, this article uses the letters and notes exchanged between Airy and the computers to demonstrate that the change in the working hours originated from the computers as a reaction to their poor working conditions. Through the exploration of these archival materials, the article shifts the focus of the analysis to the working experience of the computers, rather than to the administrative history of the project that inevitably tends to highlight Airy's actions. By doing so, the article shows how the computers were treated as a disposable low-skilled workforce, as opposed to aspiring astronomers with considerable mathematical talent. Through this reframing, the article takes a step towards a working history of the observatory
Art history · Astronomy · Cognitive reframing · Geography · George (robot · Greenwich · Library science · Meteorology · Observatory · Operations research · Physics · Australian Indigenous Culture and History · Computer Science · Engineering · Environmental Science · History · History and Developments in Astronomy · History of Science and Natural History · Psychology
| Citas por año | 1 |
|---|---|
| Intervalo de citas | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Altamente citado | No |