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H9908 Barometer, fortin-type barometer, mercury / wood / metal / glass, made by Newman and Sons, London, England, 1833-1855, used at Sydney Observatory, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1858-1900. Click to enlarge.

Fortin type barometer

This barometer was used at Sydney Observatory in the late 1800s. The observatory used barometers at its Sydney location and at weather stations throughout country New South Wales to measure atmospheric pressure and, hence, track storm systems . Data from the barometer measurements were collated and analysed by the observatory's astronomers. These observations allowed the astronomers to predict storm systems and movement in Sydney and to the west of the Blue Mountains.

Australia's weather was …

Summary

Object No.

H9908

Object Statement

Barometer, fortin-type barometer, mercury / wood / metal / glass, made by Newman and Sons, London, England, 1833-1855, used at Sydney Observatory, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1858-1900

Physical Description

A fortin-type barometer which has a central glass channel, ending in a cylindrical solid base with glass windows. The barometer has a graduated scale at upper right from '27' to '31' and a mercury thermometer inset at the lower left, above the base cylinder with scaling in degrees Celsius. The barometer is mounted on a polished timber base with a rounded top. The mount is wall-mountable, with metal fittings to support barometer.

Dimensions

Height

1310 mm

Width

200 mm

Depth

130 mm

Source

Credit Line

Ex Sydney Observatory, 1983

Acquisition Date

28 June 1983

Cite this Object

Harvard

Fortin type barometer 2023, Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, accessed 26 March 2023, <https://ma.as/258880>

Wikipedia

{{cite web |url=https://ma.as/258880 |title=Fortin type barometer |author=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences |access-date=26 March 2023 |publisher=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, Australia}}