Lyttelton Timeball Station

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Lyttelton Timeball Station

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Lyttelton Timeball Station, Time ball station in Lyttelton, New Zealand.

The Lyttelton Timeball Station features an octagonal tower constructed with local scoria rock and Oamaru stone, housing a British astronomical clock and German time ball.

Built in 1876 as New Zealand's third time ball installation, the station helped maritime vessels determine their position by dropping a spherical weight daily at 1 PM.

The station represents a pivotal development in maritime navigation technology, enabling ships to accurately determine their longitude through precise chronometer synchronization.

The restored structure opens to visitors who can reach it within 2 minutes by car from Oxford Street or through a 10-minute walk from the Information Centre.

After destruction in the 2011 earthquakes, the station underwent a complete reconstruction with a $3 million investment, reopening to the public in November 2018.

Location: Christchurch City

Inception: 1876

Architects: Thomas Walter Cane

Website: http://historicplaces.org.nz/placesToVisit/canterbury/LytteltonTimeballStation.aspx

GPS coordinates: -43.60640,172.72700

Latest update: March 8, 2025 05:09

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« Lyttelton Timeball Station: Time ball station in Lyttelton, New Zealand » is provided by Around Us (aroundus.com). Images and texts are derived from Wikimedia project under a Creative Commons license. You are allowed to copy, distribute, and modify copies of this page, under the conditions set by the license, as long as this note is clearly visible.

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