The Role of the Societas Meteorologica Palatina (1781–1792) in the History of Auroral Research
The Societas Meteorologica Palatina, or Meteorological Society of Mannheim, was set up in 1781 to coordinate observations of the weather on an international scale. In addition to temperature, pressure and humidity, observers connected to the network were instructed to record various atmospheric phen...
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Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10037/5584 https://doi.org/10.1080/08003831.2012.732283 |
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ftunivtroemsoe:oai:munin.uit.no:10037/5584 2023-05-15T13:02:15+02:00 The Role of the Societas Meteorologica Palatina (1781–1792) in the History of Auroral Research Aspaas, Per Pippin Hansen, Truls Lynne 2012 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/5584 https://doi.org/10.1080/08003831.2012.732283 eng eng Routledge Acta Borealia 29(2012) nr. 2 s. 157-176 FRIDAID 979405 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08003831.2012.732283 0800-3831 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/5584 URN:NBN:no-uit_munin_5272 openAccess VDP::Humaniora: 000::Historie: 070::Nyere tids historie (før 1800): 082 VDP::Humanities: 000::History: 070::Recent history (before 1800): 082 Journal article Tidsskriftartikkel Peer reviewed 2012 ftunivtroemsoe https://doi.org/10.1080/08003831.2012.732283 2021-06-25T17:53:28Z The Societas Meteorologica Palatina, or Meteorological Society of Mannheim, was set up in 1781 to coordinate observations of the weather on an international scale. In addition to temperature, pressure and humidity, observers connected to the network were instructed to record various atmospheric phenomena, among these the aurora borealis. The 39 stations of the network reported about 1400 individual sightings of auroras during the Society's dozen years of existence. The reported sightings are subjected to a statistical analysis that brings out striking discrepancies between the number of auroras that one would expect and the number that was reported. The statistical analysis is supplemented by an analysis of the theoretical and phenomenological comments in the Society's annual reports. The study suggests that observers on the Continent considered themselves just as advantageously situated as observers further north when trying to solve the riddle of the northern lights. It also illustrates the variety of conflicting ideas about the aurora borealis that existed during the late Enlightenment, and how these might have influenced the number of reported auroras. This lack of consensus contributed to many anomalies in the data presented in the Society's reports. By combining linguistic and scientific competence it is possible to shed light on these anomalies and on the historical context that shaped them. Article in Journal/Newspaper Acta Borealia University of Tromsø: Munin Open Research Archive Acta Borealia 29 2 157 176 |
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University of Tromsø: Munin Open Research Archive |
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ftunivtroemsoe |
language |
English |
topic |
VDP::Humaniora: 000::Historie: 070::Nyere tids historie (før 1800): 082 VDP::Humanities: 000::History: 070::Recent history (before 1800): 082 |
spellingShingle |
VDP::Humaniora: 000::Historie: 070::Nyere tids historie (før 1800): 082 VDP::Humanities: 000::History: 070::Recent history (before 1800): 082 Aspaas, Per Pippin Hansen, Truls Lynne The Role of the Societas Meteorologica Palatina (1781–1792) in the History of Auroral Research |
topic_facet |
VDP::Humaniora: 000::Historie: 070::Nyere tids historie (før 1800): 082 VDP::Humanities: 000::History: 070::Recent history (before 1800): 082 |
description |
The Societas Meteorologica Palatina, or Meteorological Society of Mannheim, was set up in 1781 to coordinate observations of the weather on an international scale. In addition to temperature, pressure and humidity, observers connected to the network were instructed to record various atmospheric phenomena, among these the aurora borealis. The 39 stations of the network reported about 1400 individual sightings of auroras during the Society's dozen years of existence. The reported sightings are subjected to a statistical analysis that brings out striking discrepancies between the number of auroras that one would expect and the number that was reported. The statistical analysis is supplemented by an analysis of the theoretical and phenomenological comments in the Society's annual reports. The study suggests that observers on the Continent considered themselves just as advantageously situated as observers further north when trying to solve the riddle of the northern lights. It also illustrates the variety of conflicting ideas about the aurora borealis that existed during the late Enlightenment, and how these might have influenced the number of reported auroras. This lack of consensus contributed to many anomalies in the data presented in the Society's reports. By combining linguistic and scientific competence it is possible to shed light on these anomalies and on the historical context that shaped them. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Aspaas, Per Pippin Hansen, Truls Lynne |
author_facet |
Aspaas, Per Pippin Hansen, Truls Lynne |
author_sort |
Aspaas, Per Pippin |
title |
The Role of the Societas Meteorologica Palatina (1781–1792) in the History of Auroral Research |
title_short |
The Role of the Societas Meteorologica Palatina (1781–1792) in the History of Auroral Research |
title_full |
The Role of the Societas Meteorologica Palatina (1781–1792) in the History of Auroral Research |
title_fullStr |
The Role of the Societas Meteorologica Palatina (1781–1792) in the History of Auroral Research |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Role of the Societas Meteorologica Palatina (1781–1792) in the History of Auroral Research |
title_sort |
role of the societas meteorologica palatina (1781–1792) in the history of auroral research |
publisher |
Routledge |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/10037/5584 https://doi.org/10.1080/08003831.2012.732283 |
genre |
Acta Borealia |
genre_facet |
Acta Borealia |
op_relation |
Acta Borealia 29(2012) nr. 2 s. 157-176 FRIDAID 979405 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08003831.2012.732283 0800-3831 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/5584 URN:NBN:no-uit_munin_5272 |
op_rights |
openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1080/08003831.2012.732283 |
container_title |
Acta Borealia |
container_volume |
29 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
157 |
op_container_end_page |
176 |
_version_ |
1766303769031606272 |