Anemoscope
Encyclopedia
An anemoscope is a device invented to show the direction of the wind
, or to foretell a change of wind direction or weather.
Hygroscopic devices, in particular those utilizing catgut
, were considered as very good anemoscopes, seldom failing to foretell the shifting of the wind.
The ancient anemoscope seems, by Vitruvius
's description of it, to have been intended to show which way the wind actually blew, rather than to foretell into which quarter it would change.
Otto von Guericke
also gave the title anemoscope to a machine invented by him to foretell the change of the weather, as to fair and rain. It consisted of a little wooden man who rose and fell in a glass tube as the atmospheric pressure
increased or decreased. Accordingly, M. Comiers has shown that this was simply an application of the common barometer
. This form of the anemoscope was invented by Leonardo Da Vinci
.
Wind
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
, or to foretell a change of wind direction or weather.
Hygroscopic devices, in particular those utilizing catgut
Catgut
Catgut is a type of cord that is prepared from the natural fibre found in the walls of animal intestines. Usually sheep or goat intestines are used, but it is occasionally made from the intestines of cattle, hogs, horses, mules, or donkeys.-Etymology:...
, were considered as very good anemoscopes, seldom failing to foretell the shifting of the wind.
The ancient anemoscope seems, by Vitruvius
Vitruvius
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio was a Roman writer, architect and engineer, active in the 1st century BC. He is best known as the author of the multi-volume work De Architectura ....
's description of it, to have been intended to show which way the wind actually blew, rather than to foretell into which quarter it would change.
Otto von Guericke
Otto von Guericke
Otto von Guericke was a German scientist, inventor, and politician...
also gave the title anemoscope to a machine invented by him to foretell the change of the weather, as to fair and rain. It consisted of a little wooden man who rose and fell in a glass tube as the atmospheric pressure
Pressure
Pressure is the force per unit area applied in a direction perpendicular to the surface of an object. Gauge pressure is the pressure relative to the local atmospheric or ambient pressure.- Definition :...
increased or decreased. Accordingly, M. Comiers has shown that this was simply an application of the common barometer
Barometer
A barometer is a scientific instrument used in meteorology to measure atmospheric pressure. Pressure tendency can forecast short term changes in the weather...
. This form of the anemoscope was invented by Leonardo Da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
.