Schiehallion - Centre of Scotland

A walk up the popular Munro, Schiehallion, on a perfect spring day. (11 April 2010)
Schiehallion lies between Loch Tay and Loch Tummel, 10 miles north of Aberfeldy in Perthshire. The mountain (3547 ft/1083m) is isolated from other peaks and has an almost perfect conical shape from the west.
Schiehallion is sometimes described as the centre of Scotland. The justification is that the line of latitude midway between the most northerly and southerly points on the Scottish mainland, and the line of longitude midway between the most easterly and westerly points, intersect very near the summit of Schiehallion.

The Schiehallion Experiment.
Schiehallion's isolated position and regular shape led it to be selected by Charles Mason for a ground-breaking experiment to estimate the mass of the Earth in 1774. The deflection of a pendulum by the mass of the mountain provided an estimate of the mean density of the Earth, from which its mass and a value for Newton's Gravitational constant G could be deduced. Mason turned down a commission to carry out the work and it was instead coordinated by Astronomer Royal, Nevil Maskelyne. He was assisted in the task by mathematician Charles Hutton, who devised a graphical system to represent large volumes of surveyed heights, later known as contour lines.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Scotland
• mountains
• walking
• Munro
• Schiehallion
• Perthshire
• centre
• Braes
• of
• Foss
• latitude
• longitude
• midway

[BillDFC]

What was the story again about the 19thC. mathematician who worked out the mass of the planet by measuring Schiehallion?

[bealach]

@BillDFC

Read my notes above on the experiment.

[HazelAgnes48]

I've been up here several times but never in the snow. Very nice.

[0AZ909]

I love your landscapes and the music of the late Jimmy Shand.

Also, I subscribe to your videos!

Hello from Brittany!

Odette

[vicmeuk]

superb informaation!! I was at duncolm hill today hopeing to see a nice view of loch lomond but it was misty lol.... better luck next time for me.....:-)

[red777photo]

Love it