Anders Celsius, born in Uppsala, was one of a large
number of scientists (all related) originating from Ovanåker in the
province of Hälsingland. The family name is a latinised version of the
name of the vicarage (Högen). His grandfathers were both professors in
Uppsala. Celsius, who was said to have been very talented in mathematics
from an early age, was appointed professor of astronomy in 1730.
He began his "grand tour", lasting for four years, in 1732, and he
visited during these years almost all the notable european observatories
of the day, where he worked with many of the leading 18th century
astronomers.
Soon after his return to Uppsala he participated in the French astronomer
Maupertuis' famous expedition 1736 to Torneå, in the most northern part
of Sweden. ("The Lapland expedition.") The aim of the expedition was to
measure the length of a degree along a meridian, close to the pole, and
compare the result with a similar expedition to Peru (today Ecuador) near
the equator. The expeditons confirmed Newton's belief that the shape of
the earth is an ellipsoid flattened at the poles.
Celsius' participation in this expedition made him famous and was
important in his efforts to interest the Swedish authorities in donating
the resources necessary to build a modern observatory in Uppsala. He was
successful, and the Celsius observatory was ready in 1741, equipped with
instruments purchased during his long voyage abroad, comprising the most
modern instrumental technology at that time.
For his metereological observations he constructed his world famous
Celsius thermometer, with 0 for the boiling point of water and 100 for
the freezing point. After his death in 1744 the scale was reversed to its
present form.
Anders Celsius died of tuberculosis in april 1744, only 42 years old. |
