The Introduction of Self-Registering Meteorological Instruments

This work traces the surprisingly late emergence of self‑recording weather machines, despite centuries of hands‑on meteorological observation. Beginning with Galileo’s thermoscope and the early rain gauges of Castelli and Santorio, the author shows how 17th‑century curiosity sparked a wave of instrument innovation across Europe. The narrative then follows the pivotal role of well‑funded observatories attached to astronomical institutes in the 1860s, which finally provided the organization and resources needed for automatic recording devices to flourish.

Through vivid descriptions of classic tools—a maximum‑minimum thermometer, barometer, and the first wind pressure gauge—the book illustrates the blend of scientific ambition and practical engineering that shaped the field. Readers also gain insight into the broader scientific climate that moved meteorology away from folklore toward systematic measurement, setting the stage for the modern data‑driven approaches we rely on today.