Scottish harbor where U-boat sank the HMS Royal Oak.
One of the most famous naval attacks during World War II occurred in 1939 when a German U-boat sneaked into a Scottish harbor and sank a British battleship. Günther Prien, captain of submarine U-47, became a celebrity in Germany after his daring nighttime invasion. But few are aware that Prien's knowledge of astronomy played a critical role in the attack.
Astronomer Bradley Schaefer of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge recently examined charts and logbooks from the attack, held in British archives in London. Speaking last week at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Washington, D.C., he related that Prien used astronomical calculations to convince his superiors that his sub could sneak past shallow blockades to torpedo the British fleet at Scapa Flow, a sheltered harbor in the Orkney Islands. His brilliant plan, says Schaefer, relied on "the highest of the highest of high tides," which were created at midnight on 13-14 October by the moon's closest approach to Earth in its orbit and its alignment with the sun. U-47 was able to scrape into the inlet and sink the battleship HMS Royal Oak, killing 833 sailors. An unexpected and very bright aurora borealis foiled further attacks, forcing the sub to withdraw. Says Schaefer: "The skies affect historical events on Earth, more than most people realize."
CREDIT: DOUG HOUGHTON
