A time ball is a now obsolete time signalling device. It consists of a large, painted wooden or metal ball that is dropped at a predetermined time, principally to enable navigators to verify their marine chronometers from their ships offshore. Accurate timekeeping is one means by which longitude can be determined at sea.
Read more about Time Ball: History, Time Balls Around The World
Famous quotes containing the words time and/or ball:
“Once we have found ourselves, we must understand how from time to time to lose—and then to find—ourselves once again: assuming, that is, that we are thinkers. For a thinker it is a drawback to be bound to a single person all the time.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“Knowing what you can not do is more important than knowing what you can do. In fact, that’s good taste.”
—Lucille Ball (1911–1989)