Delisle (°De) - Unit Information & Conversion

Quick Answer

Delisle scale: 0°De (water boils) to 150°De (water freezes)

Unique inverted scale where HIGHER numbers = COLDER temperatures. Each Delisle degree = 2/3 Celsius degree (0.667°C), counting backward from boiling point.

Quick Comparison Table

Temperature Reference	Delisle (°De)	Celsius (°C)	Fahrenheit (°F)
Water Boils	0°De	100°C	212°F
Human Body	94.5°De	37°C	98.6°F
Room Temperature	120°De	20°C	68°F
Water Freezes	150°De	0°C	32°F
Severe Winter	187.5°De	-25°C	-13°F
Dry Ice	267.75°De	-78.5°C	-109.3°F

Note: The inverted nature makes Delisle counterintuitive - 0°De is the HOTTEST point (boiling), 150°De is freezing.

Definition

The Delisle scale (symbol: °De or °D) is an inverted temperature scale that divides the interval between the boiling point and freezing point of water into 150 equal divisions under standard atmospheric pressure, with numerical values decreasing as temperature increases.

Scale Calibration (Inverted)

Fixed Points:

• Boiling point of water: 0 degrees Delisle (0°De) - the ZERO reference
• Freezing point of water: 150 degrees Delisle (150°De) - 150° higher than boiling
• Degree size: Each Delisle degree = 2/3 Celsius degree (or 0.667°C)

The Inversion: Unlike Celsius, Fahrenheit, Réaumur, and Kelvin, which all increase with temperature:

• Hotter temperatures = LOWER Delisle numbers (approaching 0°De)
• Colder temperatures = HIGHER Delisle numbers (above 150°De)
• Temperature increases = Delisle decreases

Mathematical Relationships

Delisle to Celsius:

• °C = 100 - (°De × 2/3)
• Or: °C = 100 - (°De ÷ 1.5)

Celsius to Delisle:

• °De = (100 - °C) × 3/2
• Or: °De = (100 - °C) × 1.5

Delisle to Fahrenheit:

• °F = 212 - (°De × 6/5)
• Or: °F = 212 - (°De × 1.2)

Examples:

• 0°De = 100°C (boiling water)
• 75°De = 50°C (halfway between boiling and freezing)
• 150°De = 0°C (freezing water)
• 300°De = -100°C (extreme cold, -148°F)

Why 150 Degrees?

Delisle chose 150 degrees for the freezing point due to:

1. Mercury contraction observation: His mercury thermometers showed 150 units of contraction between boiling and freezing
2. Divisibility: 150 = 2 × 3 × 5², offering factors (2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 15, 25, 30, 50, 75, 150)
3. Convenient fractional divisions: 150/3 = 50°, 150/2 = 75°, 150/10 = 15° for practical measurements
4. Empirical basis: Based on actual instrument behavior rather than abstract decimal preference

Why Invert the Scale?

Delisle's inversion was methodological rather than arbitrary:

Calibration Process:

• Started with boiling water (100°C) as reference point zero
• Observed mercury column contraction as water cooled
• Counted degrees of contraction downward from boiling
• At freezing point (0°C), mercury had contracted 150 divisions

Result: A scale that measured "degrees of cooling" from boiling, making hotter temperatures numerically smaller. While counterintuitive by modern standards, it reflected the experimental process.

History

The Delisle scale's 290-year history is inseparable from the development of Russian science and the Imperial Academy's early years.

Joseph-Nicolas Delisle (1688-1768)

Born in Paris to artistic parents, Delisle became one of France's leading astronomers, specializing in celestial mechanics and cartography. His work on planetary transits and lunar theory earned him election to the French Academy of Sciences (1714) and international recognition.

1725: Invitation to Russia

Tsar Peter the Great, determined to modernize Russia through Western science, invited Delisle to St. Petersburg to establish an astronomical observatory and help found the Imperial Russian Academy of Sciences. Delisle arrived in St. Petersburg in August 1725, months after Peter's death, but Empress Catherine I honored the invitation.

1725-1747: Russian Academy Directorship

As the Academy's first director of astronomy, Delisle:

• Established St. Petersburg Observatory (1726)
• Trained Russian astronomers and instrument makers
• Standardized scientific measurements across the Russian Empire
• Corresponded with European scientific societies

Creation of the Delisle Scale (1732)

The Problem: Russia's vast territory and extreme climate variations required standardized temperature measurements for meteorology, agriculture, and scientific research. Existing thermometers used inconsistent scales, making comparison impossible.

Delisle's Solution (1732):

1. Boiling water reference: Started with boiling point as 0° (easiest to reproduce reliably)
2. Mercury contraction: Observed mercury column shrinking as temperature decreased
3. Freezing point calibration: Marked freezing water at 150° of contraction
4. Uniform divisions: Divided the interval into 150 equal degrees

1732 Paper: Delisle presented his scale to the Imperial Russian Academy, arguing that starting from boiling point provided greater calibration accuracy than starting from freezing (where ice-water mixtures could vary slightly).

Official Adoption in Russia (1738-1840s)

1738: Imperial Decree

The Russian Imperial government officially adopted the Delisle scale for all government and scientific purposes, making Russia the first nation to standardize on a single temperature scale nationwide.

Implementation:

• Meteorological stations: All Russian weather observation posts used Delisle thermometers
• Scientific research: Academy publications reported temperatures in Delisle
• Military applications: Army and Navy used Delisle for weather reporting
• Educational institutions: Russian universities taught Delisle as standard

Geographic Spread: The scale's use extended across the Russian Empire:

• St. Petersburg and Moscow (primary centers)
• Baltic provinces (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)
• Siberian outposts and exploration expeditions
• Crimea and southern territories

Coexistence with Réaumur (1780s-1840s)

By the late 18th century, Western European science had largely standardized on Réaumur (continental Europe) or Fahrenheit (Britain), creating communication challenges for Russian scientists.

1780s-1820s: Gradual Transition

Russian instrument makers began producing dual-scale thermometers (Delisle/Réaumur) to facilitate:

• International scientific correspondence
• Translation of Western European research
• Trade with European partners

1840s: Réaumur Dominance

By the 1840s, Réaumur had effectively replaced Delisle in Russian scientific practice:

• Younger Russian scientists trained with Réaumur
• International standardization pressure increased
• French scientific influence (Réaumur) outweighed earlier German connections

Final Decline (1850-1917)

1850-1870: Delisle relegated to historical archives, antique thermometers, and elderly scientists' habit 1871: German unification's adoption of Celsius influenced Russian scientific circles 1900-1917: Celsius gaining ground in Russian universities and research institutions 1917-1925: Bolshevik Revolution brought metric system adoption, officially ending Delisle use

Legacy and Modern Recognition

The Delisle scale survives as:

• Historical curiosity: The only inverted scale to achieve governmental adoption
• Archival research: Russian meteorological data (1738-1840s) requires Delisle conversion
• Thermometer collecting: Delisle/Réaumur dual-scale antique thermometers from Russia
• Scientific history: Example of how methodology (cooling observation) shaped measurement design

Real-World Examples

Russian Meteorological Records (Historical)

• St. Petersburg winter cold: 200°De (-66.7°C / -88°F) recorded 1740s
• Moscow summer heat: 15°De (90°C / 194°F) - rare extreme heat
• Comfortable day: 120°De (20°C / 68°F)
• Severe frost: 180°De (-33.3°C / -28°F)

Comparative Examples

• Human body temperature: 94.5°De (37°C / 98.6°F)
• Room temperature: 120°De (20°C / 68°F)
• Hot summer day: 105°De (30°C / 86°F)
• Freezing point: 150°De (0°C / 32°F)
• Siberian winter extreme: 240°De (-60°C / -76°F)

Historical Scientific Research

• Delisle's observatory: 110-130°De typical working temperatures (26-13°C)
• Baltic Sea freezing: 150-165°De (0 to -10°C) coastal observations
• Ural Mountains expeditions: 180-210°De (-33 to -73°C) winter exploration
• Crimean summers: 90-105°De (33-30°C) southern territories

Inverted Scale Intuition

Understanding Delisle requires mental reversal:

• Getting colder? Delisle number INCREASES (150° → 200° → 250°)
• Getting warmer? Delisle number DECREASES (150° → 100° → 50° → 0°)
• Below freezing (0°C)? Delisle ABOVE 150°De
• Above boiling (100°C)? Delisle would be NEGATIVE (rarely used)

Common Uses

Historical Russian Meteorology (1738-1840s)

The primary application of the Delisle scale was Russian weather observation:

Imperial Meteorological Network:

• St. Petersburg Observatory: Daily temperatures recorded in Delisle
• Moscow weather stations: Imperial Academy network standardized on Delisle
• Siberian frontier posts: Military expeditions reported temperatures in Delisle
• Black Sea and Baltic ports: Naval meteorological data in Delisle

Record Keeping: Archives from this period contain:

• Handwritten logbooks with Delisle readings
• Published annual weather summaries
• Agricultural yield correlations with Delisle temperatures
• Military campaign weather reports (e.g., Napoleon's 1812 invasion)

18th-Century Russian Scientific Research

Russian Academy scientists used Delisle for:

Physics Experiments:

• Thermal expansion studies
• Phase transition research (freezing, melting, boiling)
• Instrument calibration standards

Biological Research:

• Plant growth temperature requirements
• Animal physiology studies
• Seed germination experiments

Astronomical Observations:

• Observatory temperature logs (affecting telescope precision)
• Atmospheric refraction corrections based on temperature

Historical Document Interpretation

Modern researchers encounter Delisle in:

Russian Imperial Archives:

• Government reports (1738-1840s)
• Military campaign records
• Agricultural survey data
• Medical records from Russian hospitals

Scientific Publications:

• Imperial Russian Academy journals
• European scientific correspondence with Russian researchers
• Exploration expedition reports (Bering, Kamchatka expeditions)

Literature and Personal Correspondence:

• Letters between Russian aristocracy
• Travel journals of European visitors to Russia
• Historical novels set in 18th-19th century Russia

Antique Thermometer Collecting

Delisle thermometers are rare and valuable collectibles:

Rarity Factors:

• Limited production period: 1732-1850s primarily
• Geographic concentration: Almost exclusively Russian Empire
• Destruction: Many lost during Russian Revolution, World Wars
• Dual-scale models: Delisle/Réaumur thermometers from 1780s-1840s most sought

Market Value:

• Original Delisle thermometers: $1,000-$10,000+ (extreme rarity)
• Dual-scale Delisle/Réaumur: $800-$5,000 (more common)
• Reproductions/modern curiosities: $50-$200

Education and Science Museums

Science museums use Delisle thermometers to teach:

• History of measurement: Evolution of temperature scales
• Scientific methodology: How observation shapes measurement design
• Cultural context: Russian Empire's scientific development
• Inverted scales: Challenging students' assumptions about "hotter = higher number"

Online Temperature Converters

Delisle appears in comprehensive temperature conversion tools:

• Historical conversion calculators for archival research
• "Exotic scales" demonstrations alongside Rømer, Newton scales
• Educational tools teaching temperature scale diversity

Conversion Guide

Basic Conversion Formulas

Delisle to Celsius:

• Formula: °C = 100 - (°De × 2/3)
• Alternative: °C = 100 - (°De ÷ 1.5)
• Example: 90°De = 100 - (90 × 2/3) = 100 - 60 = 40°C

Celsius to Delisle:

• Formula: °De = (100 - °C) × 3/2
• Alternative: °De = (100 - °C) × 1.5
• Example: 25°C = (100 - 25) × 1.5 = 75 × 1.5 = 112.5°De

Delisle to Fahrenheit:

• Formula: °F = 212 - (°De × 6/5)
• Alternative: °F = 212 - (°De × 1.2)
• Example: 60°De = 212 - (60 × 1.2) = 212 - 72 = 140°F

Fahrenheit to Delisle:

• Formula: °De = (212 - °F) × 5/6
• Alternative: °De = (212 - °F) ÷ 1.2
• Example: 32°F = (212 - 32) × 5/6 = 180 × 5/6 = 150°De

Quick Conversion Table

Delisle (°De)	Celsius (°C)	Fahrenheit (°F)	Description
0°De	100°C	212°F	Water boils
30°De	80°C	176°F	Very hot
60°De	60°C	140°F	Hot water
90°De	40°C	104°F	Hot day
94.5°De	37°C	98.6°F	Human body
120°De	20°C	68°F	Room temperature
135°De	10°C	50°F	Cool day
150°De	0°C	32°F	Water freezes
180°De	-20°C	-4°F	Cold winter
225°De	-50°C	-58°F	Severe cold
300°De	-100°C	-148°F	Extreme cold

Historical Russian Examples

St. Petersburg Winter (1740s):

• Historical record: 180°De severe frost
• Conversion: 100 - (180 × 2/3) = 100 - 120 = -20°C = -4°F

Moscow Summer (1780s):

• Historical record: 105°De heat wave
• Conversion: 100 - (105 × 2/3) = 100 - 70 = 30°C = 86°F

Siberian Expedition (1733-1743 Great Northern Expedition):

• Historical record: 210°De extreme winter cold
• Conversion: 100 - (210 × 2/3) = 100 - 140 = -40°C = -40°F

Common Conversion Mistakes

1. Forgetting the Inversion

Wrong: Treating Delisle like Celsius (higher = hotter)

• Assuming 180°De is hotter than 90°De
• 180°De = -20°C (cold), 90°De = 40°C (hot)
• Error: Complete reversal of reality

Right: Remember the inversion:

• Lower Delisle = Hotter (closer to boiling at 0°De)
• Higher Delisle = Colder (freezing at 150°De, extreme cold beyond)

2. Incorrect Formula Application

Wrong: °C = 100 + (°De × 2/3) (adding instead of subtracting)

• 90°De = 100 + 60 = 160°C (impossibly hot, above boiling!)
• Correct: 90°De = 100 - 60 = 40°C

Right: Always SUBTRACT the Delisle conversion:

• °C = 100 minus (°De × 2/3)
• The "100 -" accounts for the inversion

3. Confusing 2/3 and 3/2 Factors

Wrong: Using 3/2 for Delisle → Celsius (backwards)

• °C = 100 - (90°De × 3/2) = 100 - 135 = -35°C (wrong!)
• Correct: 90°De = 100 - (90 × 2/3) = 40°C

Right:

• Delisle → Celsius: Multiply by 2/3 (or divide by 1.5)
• Celsius → Delisle: Multiply by 3/2 (or multiply by 1.5)

4. Assuming 0° is Coldest

Wrong: Thinking 0°De is like "absolute zero" or coldest point

• 0°De = 100°C = 212°F (boiling water, very hot!)
• Colder temperatures are ABOVE 150°De (200°De, 300°De, etc.)

Right: On Delisle scale:

• 0°De is the HOTTEST reference point (boiling)
• Negative Delisle (rare) = above boiling (-30°De = 120°C)
• Cold temperatures = HIGH Delisle (300°De = -100°C)

5. Misapplying Intuition from Other Scales

Wrong: Using Celsius mental anchors directly

• Thinking "150°De = 150°C" (actually 150°De = 0°C)
• Expecting 50°De to be "mild" (actually 50°De = 66.7°C, very hot)

Right: Recalibrate completely:

• 0°De = boiling (like 100°C)
• 150°De = freezing (like 0°C)
• 120°De = room temperature (like 20°C)
• Must convert every time; no direct intuition possible