Paris meridian

The meridian of Paris was a used before the International Meridian Conference prime meridian, is 2 ° 20 ' 14.025 "east of the meridian of Greenwich since been commonly used. The meridian of Paris through the heart of the Paris Observatory.

History of Meridian

He was set in 1718 by Jacques Cassini. Until the above-mentioned conference in 1884, he was an important prime meridian (next to the widespread Ferro meridian, and others), and was traded to the conference as an alternative to the ultimately agreed meridian of Greenwich.

Along the meridian of Paris level measurements were performed several times.

Temps moyen de Paris

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The Meridian was also since the March 9, 1911 ( Loi du 9 mars 1911) of the standard terms of temps moyen de Heure légale Paris ( tmP ), which is binding on France standard time. Even after taking over the world time remained France at the statutory subscription tmP - 9 ' 21 ", not in GMT / UT / UTC itself, the tmP coordinated with the world time on exactly this difference was (joint leap seconds ). The value was effective until August 9, 1978, only since then by decree the UTC time base of the French Heure légale. France (main country, zone CET / CEST ) had to say for example the time tmP 50' 39 ​​", not ( after 1968 ) UTC 1 - this value is only valid after 1978.

Monuments

The meridian is marked by several historic columns.

Dibbet ' artistic tribute: Arago Medallions

The Dutch concept artist Jan Dibbet marked the old zero meridian in 1995 by discretely in pavement, sidewalks, courtyards and various buildings embedded bronze plaques that Arago Medallions, a tribute to the physicist and human rights activist François Arago.

Of these original 135 previously received little attention some plaques have been stolen since the publication of Dan Brown's bestseller The Da Vinci Code. The term " rose line " as used in the book for Dibbet ' work of art is an invention Browns. It is also wrong its presentation, the meridian cross the inverted glass pyramid of the Louvre. Unlike what is shown in the film, is therefore to be found above the pyramid no Arago medallion.