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Meteorology
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Atmospheric phenomena—a subject of curiosity and interest from the beginnings of civilization—were first discussed in a systematic manner by Aristotle. Until the Renaissance, however, meteorology remained a field dominated by empirical knowledge mainly regarding the exceptional events occurring above the Earth's surface. Experimental meteorology was inaugurated by the Accademia del Cimento. The invention and improvement of the thermometer, barometer, and hygrometer allowed the transition from simple observation of meteorological phenomena to their measurement and comparison. The 18th C. saw the advent of systematic observations, with the consequent production of meteorological ephemeris, collected by an ever denser network of observatories. With the introduction of very sophisticated and fully comparable instruments in the 19th C., the study of the physical and dynamic properties of the atmosphere became an extremely specialized field.

Objects
Alcohol thermometer

Alcohol thermometer

Inv. 2040
M. Gallonde, Paris, late 18th cent.

Anemometer

Anemometer

Inv. 803
Maker unknown, first half 19th cent.

Anemoscope

Anemoscope

Inv. 848
Maker unknown, 18th cent.

Barometer

Barometer

Inv. 1134
Maker unknown, late 18th cent.

Barometer

Barometer

Inv. 1153
Maker unknown, first half 19th cent.

Barometer

Barometer

Inv. 1143
Maker unknown, first half 19th cent.

Barometer

Barometer

Inv. 1152
Nicolas Fortin, France, 1793

Box with mercury thermometer

Box with mercury thermometer

Inv. 1718
John Troughton, London, 1782-1800

Cecchi balance barometer

Cecchi balance barometer

Inv. 3816
Niccolò Masini, Florence, ca. 1860

Cistern barometer

Cistern barometer

Inv. 1147
Edward Nairne, London, ca. 1770

Cistern barometer

Cistern barometer

Inv. 3707
Nairne & Blunt firm, London, ca. 1780

Cistern barometer

Cistern barometer

Inv. 1148
Antonio Matteucci, Siena, ca. 1850

Cistern barometer

Cistern barometer

Inv. 1161
Maker unknown, second half 19th cent.

Container for Landriani's "Chronohyometer"

Container for Landriani's "Chronohyometer"

Inv. 3926
Maker unknown, Italian, late 18th cent.

De Luc barometer

De Luc barometer

Inv. 1150
Maker unknown, ca. 1760

De Luc barometer

De Luc barometer

Inv. 1556
Maker unknown, late 18th cent.

Double barometer

Double barometer

Inv. 1155
Maker unknown, Italian, second half 18th cent.

Folli's paper-ribbon hygrometer

Folli's paper-ribbon hygrometer

Inv. 2434
Maker unknown, second half 17th cent.

Folli's paper-ribbon hygrometer

Folli's paper-ribbon hygrometer

Inv. 2435
Maker unknown, second half 17th cent.

Hair hygrometer

Hair hygrometer

Inv. 2032
Maker unknown, Italian, ca. 1850

Hair hygrometer

Hair hygrometer

Inv. 2442
Nairne & Blunt firm, London, late 18th cent.

Hair hygrometer

Hair hygrometer

Inv. 3708
Maker unknown, Italian?, late 19th cent.

Maiocchi's tension hygrometer

Maiocchi's tension hygrometer

Inv. 1381
Maker unknown, ca. 1845

Mercury thermometer

Mercury thermometer

Inv. 1792
Maker unknown, Italian, second half 18th cent.

Mercury thermometer

Mercury thermometer

Inv. 3464
Felice Fontana, Italian, second half 18th cent.

Mercury thermometer

Mercury thermometer

Inv. 407
Maker unknown, late 18th cent.

Mercury thermometer

Mercury thermometer

Inv. 941
John Troughton, London, 1782-1800

Mercury thermometer

Mercury thermometer

Inv. 2038
Felice Fontana [attr.], Italian, second half 18th cent.

Mercury thermometer

Mercury thermometer

Inv. 385
Dollond firm, London, late 18th cent.

Mercury thermometer

Mercury thermometer

Inv. 2029
Dollond firm, London, late 18th cent.

Mercury thermometer

Mercury thermometer

Inv. 1795
Maker unknown, 19th cent.

Metal maximum and minimum thermometer

Metal maximum and minimum thermometer

Inv. 1895
Maker unknown, Italian?, first half 19th cent.

Paper-disk hygrometer

Paper-disk hygrometer

Inv. 4
Adams, London, second half 18th cent.

Pillar barometer

Pillar barometer

Inv. 1135
Daniel Quare, London, early 18th cent.

Pillar barometer

Pillar barometer

Inv. 1136
Daniel Quare, London, early 18th cent.

Pocket aneroid barometer

Pocket aneroid barometer

Inv. 3659
Giustino Paggi, Florence, ca. 1880

Portable barometer

Portable barometer

Inv. 1131
Galgano Gori, Florence, 1846

Portable barometer

Portable barometer

Inv. 1146
Maker unknown, first half 19th cent.

Psychrometer - wet and dry bulb thermometer

Psychrometer - wet and dry bulb thermometer

Inv. 3467
Maker unknown, second half 19th cent.

Registering barometer

Registering barometer

Inv. 1163
Felice Fontana, Italian, late 18th cent.

Rumford's thermoscope

Rumford's thermoscope

Inv. 1774
Maker unknown, first half 19th cent.

Saussure hair hygrometer

Saussure hair hygrometer

Inv. 2033
Jaques Paul [attr.], Geneva, late 18th cent.

Siphon and cistern barometer

Siphon and cistern barometer

Inv. 1132
Maker unknown, mid-19th cent.

Siphon barometer

Siphon barometer

Inv. 1141
Giovanni Domenico Tamburini, early 18th cent.

Siphon barometer

Siphon barometer

Inv. 1142
Giovanni Domenico Tamburini [attr.], early 18th cent.

Siphon barometer

Siphon barometer

Inv. 1144
Deleuil firm, Paris, ca. 1850

Siphon barometer

Siphon barometer

Inv. 3627
Giovanni Domenico Tamburini, early 18th cent.

Six's maximum and minimum thermometer

Six's maximum and minimum thermometer

Inv. 1897
Antonio Matteucci, ca. 1790

Stereometric barometer

Stereometric barometer

Inv. 1137
Maker unknown, late 18th cent.

Stick barometer

Stick barometer

Inv. 697
Maker unknown, late 18th cent.

Viviani's paper-ribbon hygrometer

Viviani's paper-ribbon hygrometer

Inv. 2436
Maker unknown, second half 17th cent.

Viviani's paper-ribbon hygrometer

Viviani's paper-ribbon hygrometer

Inv. 1, 2439
Maker unknown, second half 17th cent.

Viviani's paper-ribbon hygrometer

Viviani's paper-ribbon hygrometer

Inv. 2, 2438
Maker unknown, second half 17th cent.

Viviani's paper-ribbon hygrometer

Viviani's paper-ribbon hygrometer

Inv. 3, 2437
Maker unknown, second half 17th cent.

Viviani's rope hygrometer

Viviani's rope hygrometer

Inv. 799
Vincenzo Viviani [attr.], Italian, second half 17th cent. (oldest part)

Wheel barometer

Wheel barometer

Inv. 1139
Maker unknown, Italian, late 18th cent.

Wheel barometer

Wheel barometer

Inv. 1140
Santino Donegani, Italian, late 18th cent.

Wind vane

Wind vane

Inv. 3623
Maker unknown, Base: late 17th cent. / Horse: late 16th cent.

Windrose

Windrose

Inv. 3728
Maker unknown, late 18th cent.