radiation thermometer
Datecirca 1890
Inventory Number1998-1-0420
ClassificationThermometer
Subject
Maker
Alvergniat Frères
fl. 1858 - 1890
User
Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory
1885-present
Cultural Region
Place of Origin
Dimensions43.3 x 4.5 cm (17 1/16 x 1 3/4 in.)
storage: 10.5 x 51 x 13.8 cm (4 1/8 x 20 1/16 x 5 7/16 in.)
storage: 10.5 x 51 x 13.8 cm (4 1/8 x 20 1/16 x 5 7/16 in.)
Material
Accessoriesinside an old wooden box with space for two thermometers of this kind, but with only this one present. Other contents and inscriptions of box described in Inscriptions.
DescriptionA thermometer consisting of a long glass tube with a mercury capillary marked with a scale going from -22 to 76 degrees Celsius. The thermometer is enclosed in a larger, evacuated glass tube that follows its contours with the exception that it makes a large spherical bulb around the thermometer's mercury reservoir, which is also spherical and stands exactly at the center of the sphere.
Signedon tube opposite scale: Alvergniat F'res 10 Rue de la Sorbonne, Paris. (Centigrade)
Inscribedbox is marked in script: "2 solar radiation thermometers" and "Fragile - with care";
handwritten on envelope in box: "No. 272- 10th ascension- October 19, 1907"; handwritten on yellowed paper in box: "pg116 27 Sept 1907 Fergusson / St. Louis 21 Oct 1907 9 BALLOONS C 1600 CST"; on another yellowed paper: "Used at Blue Hill, prob. before 1900"; instructions pasted to inside of lid: "NOTICE! / Hydrogen Gas! Keep Away From Fire! / This balloon was set from St. Louis, MO, for the study of the upper air. DO NOT OPEN BASKET OR DISTURB CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER. Please pack the BALLOON, CLOTH COVER, AND BASKET in a box or barrel, and ship by Express Collect to one of the Addresses given below. A reward of Two Dollars will be paid for this service. [Last sentence underlined]. / If found BEFORE NOVEMBER 4th Return to: / S. P. Fergusson, Washington Hotel, Kingshighway ST. LOUIS, MO. / If not found until after NOVEMBER 4th Return to: / BLUE HILL OBSERVATORY, HYDE PARK, MASS."
number on tube: 158
number on thermometer: 1170
Curatorial RemarksFrom inscriptions and papers kept inside the box storing this thermometer, one can infer that the box may have contained, or is related to, 9 hydrogen balloons with meteorological instruments that were launched on Octuber 1907 from St. Louis Missouri by S.P. Fergusson. Box may be related to meteorological balloons in the collection, some of which have similar inscriptions on them.
The thermometer itself would NOT have travelled in one of these balloons.
FunctionThis is a thermometer for determining the amount of heat radiation (infrared light) in the environment at a certain moment. Its mercury bulb is isolated from contact with the ambient temperature by an evacuated glass vessel, most thermometers of this type (but not this one) are painted completely black so it will absorb the maximum possible heat radiation.
Heat radiation is an important meteorological reading as an indication of cloudiness and contributes to the subjective perception of ambient temperature in addition to the temperature of air.
Heat radiation is an important meteorological reading as an indication of cloudiness and contributes to the subjective perception of ambient temperature in addition to the temperature of air.
ProvenanceThermometer very likely from the Blue Hill Observatory. Box is from Blue Hill with all certainty.
General Electric Company
Date: 1945-1960
Accessories: plain cardboard box (with inscriptions)
Object number: WJ1262
Simpson Electric Company
Date: 1930-1950
Accessories: plain cardboard box (with inscriptions)
Object number: WJ1286
Simpson Electric Company
Date: 1940-1960
Accessories: plain cardboard box (with inscriptions)
Object number: WJ1287
Simpson Electric Company
Date: 1934-1960
Accessories: plain cardboard box (with inscriptions)
Object number: WJ1288
Weston Electrical Instrument Corporation
Date: 1930-1960
Accessories: plain cardboard box (with inscriptions)
Object number: WJ1292
American
Date: early 20th-mid 20th Century
Accessories: A cardboard box which contains the plastic box of gypsum and assortment of glass and cork stoppers. Printed on the lid and sides of the cardboard box are the inscriptions, "Dovre / Ski Binding" with an illustration of a downhill skier; "Manufactured by / Dovre Ski Binding Inc. / West Concord, Mass."; "Douvre / Model 300 / Type / $150."
Object number: 1997-1-1947
American
Date: mid 19th-early 20th Century
Accessories: with two inscribed cards (see inscriptions for further details)
Object number: 1997-1-1992
American
Date: mid 19th-early 20th Century
Accessories: with two inscribed cards (see inscriptions for further details)
Object number: 1997-1-1991
American
Date: mid 19th-early 20th Century
Accessories: with two inscribed cards (see inscriptions for further details)
Object number: 1997-1-1990
John Cuthbertson
Date: 1770-1815
Accessories: brown storage box, descriptive tag, thin strip of paper in box with the inscription "lucernal microscope" in David P. Wheatland's handwriting (which refers to figs. 47-48 and 51 in this series), page from the book "Old Science and Medicine" with a photographic copy of the first print from this series, entitled "The Large Electric Machine at Haarlem."
Object number: 1998-1-1087
Taylor Instrument Companies
Date: circa 1930
Accessories: chart "RELATIVE HUMIDITY" in holder stored in file folder
Object number: 1998-1-0285