Celsius Celsius scale are defined by absolute zero and the triple point of Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water (VSMOW), a specially purified water. This definition also precisely relates the Celsius scale to the Kelvin scale, which defines the SI base unit of thermodynamic temperature with symbol K. Absolute zero, the lowest temperature possible, is defined as being exactly 0 K and −273.15 °C. The temperature of the triple point of water is defined as exactly . This means that a temperature difference of one degree Celsius and that of one kelvin are exactly the same. In 1742, Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius
Celsius formally adopted "degree Celsius" in 1948, formally keeping the recognized degree symbol, rather than adopting the gradian/centesimal degree symbol. For scientific use, "Celsius" is the term usually used, with "centigrade" remaining in common but decreasing use, especially in informal contexts in English-speaking countries. It was not until February 1985 that the weather forecasts issued by the BBC switched from "centigrade" to "Celsius". Some key temperatures relating the Celsius scale to other temperature scales are shown in the table below. The "degree Celsius" has been the only SI unit whose full unit name contains an uppercase letter since the SI base