Dear Bill, When I bought my Galilean Thermometer, it came in a reasonably strong cardboard box that was completely filled with a close fitting polystyrene mould. In short the packing looked quite robust.
You might like to check: http://www.collectiblecritters.com/commercesql/index.cgi?product=thermometer for a range of Galilean Thermometers, but the sizes given in inches doesn't fill me with confidence! Cheers, Pat Naughtin LCAMS Geelong, Australia Pat Naughtin is the editor of the free online newsletter, 'Metrication matters'. You can subscribe by sending an email containing the words subscribe Metrication matters to [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- on 25/2/04 6:52 AM, Bill Potts at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Those are sold in the U.S., too, Bill. They were fairly common about four or > five years ago. > > Unfortunately, as you'd expect, they're all Fahrenheit. I've asked, on more > than one occasion, about Celsius versions, but found that the local stores > (which are identical in every shopping mall) don't make the buying > decisions. > > I have seen the Celsius versions in Europe, but didn't want to risk > transporting back home something so susceptible to breakage. > > Bill Potts, CMS > Roseville, CA > http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] > > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Behalf Of Bill Hooper >> Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2004 08:45 >> To: U.S. Metric Association >> Subject: [USMA:28896] Re: Analog Celsius thermometers >> >> >> I have always thought that I would like to have a Galilean thermometer, >> because of it's historical significance and its interesting style. But, >> in the US, one can only find them which register in degrees Fahrenheit. >> I would want one in Celsius. >> >> (If you are unfamiliar with this type of thermometer, I will describe >> it in some detail in a PS, below.) Clearly, the Galilean thermometer >> cannot be either "dual labeled" or "switchable" for reading in either >> Celsius or Fahrenheit. I'm not even sure if I would call it an analog >> or a digital device; perhaps it would be classified as a hybrid. >> >> While in Europe on a recent trip, I found Galilean thermometers in gift >> shops in several towns along the Danube, from Nurnberg to Vienna. No >> doubt they are available elsewhere but they happened to be more >> abundant in this area which is noted for it's decorative glass pieces >> (of which the Galilean thermometer is certainly one). >> >> Much to my annoyance, I discovered that ALL the Galilean thermometers >> in the shops were constructed to show Fahrenheit temperature! Clearly, >> the shops were in business primarily to sell souvenirs to American >> tourists. >> >> But I figured, "This is Europe! Surely they must have some of these >> things in Celsius for the European visitors." So I asked and, with just >> a little disruption (because the shop was very busy), someone was sent >> down the street to the shop where these things were made and stored and >> a Celsius version was brought to me. I was delighted and bought it. It >> now sits prominently in my living room. >> >> Regards, >> Bill Hooper >> >> PS Description of Galilean thermometers. >> >> The Galilean thermometer consists of a vertical tube filled with a >> clear fluid (water?). In this fluid are several small glass globes. The >> globes contain air and a small amount of fluid (water?) which is >> colored. The fluid is a different color is in each little globe, which >> adds to the thermometer's beauty as well as its utility. >> >> The air-water combination in each globe is adjusted so that the globes >> just barely float (have neutral buoyancy) in the fluid of the main >> tube. But the density of the fluid of the main tube is temperature >> dependent (like all fluids, of course). That means that, if the globes >> are exactly neutral buoyancy at some specific temperature, then they >> will float up to the top if the actual temperature is a little cooler >> and settle down to the bottom if the temperature is a little warmer. >> >> In the Galilean thermometer, each of the several little globes is >> adjusted to float at a different temperature; and each globe is labeled >> with that temperature. In use, one merely needs to notice which is the >> lowest of the floating globes to determine the surrounding temperature >> (assuming the thermometer is in equilibrium with its surroundings). >> >> My Galilean thermometer registers the temperature in the range from 18 >> �C to 26 �C in steps of 2 �C. That's not a wide range and it is not >> very precise. Clearly it is more a work of art than a scientific >> instrument. >
