Anders Celsius

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Celsius, Anders – De novo in fluviis norlandiarum piscandi modo, 1738 – BEIC 8529648

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Anders Celsius (27 November 1701 – 25 April 1744) was a Swedish astronomer, physicist, and mathematician who is best known for inventing the Celsius temperature scale, which is used worldwide.

Biography

Anders Celsius was born in Uppsala, Sweden, into a scientific family. His grandfather was an astronomer, and his father was a mathematics professor. Celsius pursued his education at the University of Uppsala, where he later became a professor of astronomy in 1730. Throughout his career, Celsius conducted various research projects related to astronomy, including observations of the aurora borealis, and he participated in expeditions to observe the solar eclipse.

One of Celsius's significant contributions to science was his work on measuring the brightness of stars, which laid the groundwork for the modern stellar magnitude system. However, he is most famously known for proposing the Celsius temperature scale in 1742, a revolutionary idea at the time that proposed a scale with 0 degrees as the boiling point of water and 100 degrees as the freezing point. This scale was later reversed to the form we use today, with 0 degrees representing the freezing point of water and 100 degrees its boiling point.

Celsius Temperature Scale

The Celsius temperature scale was introduced to create a standardized and easy-to-use system for temperature measurement. Before Celsius's invention, various scales and units were used, making scientific measurements difficult to compare. The adoption of the Celsius scale facilitated international scientific communication and research.

Legacy

Anders Celsius's contributions to science, particularly in astronomy and temperature measurement, have left a lasting legacy. The Celsius temperature scale remains one of the two most used temperature scales in the world, alongside the Fahrenheit scale. Celsius's work in astronomy, especially his observations and methods, contributed significantly to the field's development.

Celsius died in Uppsala in 1744, but his legacy continues through the widespread use of his temperature scale and his contributions to astronomy. Today, Celsius is remembered not only for his scientific achievements but also as a key figure in the history of science in Sweden and worldwide.