Introduction

The Swedish Societas Literaria et Scientiarum and the second decade of its Acta (1730–1739); Summary of contents pertaining to the aurora borealis

Abstract

The sixteenth volume in the series presents all articles on the aurora borealis that were published in the journal of the Swedish Societas Regia Literaria et Scientiarum (now Kungl. Vetenskaps-Societeten i Uppsala) from 1730 to 1739. The articles are by the society’s secretary, the professor of astronomy in Uppsala, Anders (in Latin: Andreas) Celsius and by several other Swedish professionals and amateurs of science. In the introduction to this volume, neo-Latinist and historian of science Per Pippin Aspaas summarizes the contents of all articles dealing with the aurora and presents extracts of these texts in English translation. He also provides a short history of the society in the period and gives brief presentations of Anders Celsius, Herman Spöring, Sven Hof, Johan Göstaf Hallman, Johan Sparschuch and Nils Wallerius as auroral researchers.