Meteorology in an Italian province in the mid-nineteenth century: The case of the Urbino Observatory.

Today's old Physics Cabinet of the University of Urbino preserves some valuable and significant historical meteorological instruments, all in good condition. These are various pieces such as thermometers, barometers, hygrometers, electrometers and single and multiple lightning rod tips. Their history is linked to the foundation in Urbino of a Meteorological Observatory that began its activities in May 1850. This talk will provide a description of some of these surviving instruments and an analysis of the activities and meteorological studies developed by the scientist and member of the Scolopian order Alessandro Serpieri (1823-1885), whose principal merit was to have proposed, among the first in Italy, the use of the telegraph at the service of Meteorology. In the context of the History of Synoptic Meteorology and the use of the telegraph to weather forecasting, this communication will try to reconstruct the history of this Meteorological Observatory, which, even today, after 173 years, is functioning and in total operational activity.