Anders Celsius
Sweden- Biography of Anders Celsius
- Research on the Northern Lights
- Measurement of the Meridian
- The Celsius Temperature Scale
- Legacy
Biography of Anders Celsius
Anders Celsius was a Swedish astronomer and meteorologist who is best known for his temperature scale. He was born on November 27, 1701, in Uppsala, Sweden, into a family of professors. After graduating from Uppsala University, he remained there as a professor until his death.
Research on the Northern Lights
In 1716, Celsius began studying the Northern Lights and in 1733, he published his observations. In his notes, he demonstrated that the intensity of the Northern Lights is related to fluctuations in the Earth's magnetic field, based on compass deviations. In the same year, he joined an expedition to the equator to test and confirm Isaac Newton's hypothesis about the elliptical shape of the Earth.
Measurement of the Meridian
A few years later, in 1736, Celsius traveled to Lapland to measure the meridian. Upon his return, he organized and led an observatory at his university, where he focused on measuring the brightness of stars.
The Celsius Temperature Scale
Celsius' most famous achievement is the temperature scale that bears his name. Initially, he defined the boiling point of water as 0° and the melting point as 100°. It was later reversed by another Swedish biologist, Carl Linnaeus, to the scale we know today. Celsius passed away in Uppsala in 1744.
Legacy
In honor of his contributions to science, a rare mineral called "celzian" was named after Anders Celsius. This mineral can be found in Sweden, Japan, and Ukraine.
