Abstract Solar meridian observations have been used to evaluate the solar activity of the past. Some important examples are the solar meridian observations made at the Basilica of San Petronio in Bologna by several astronomers and the observations made by Hevelius published in his book Machina Coelestis. However, we do not know whether these observations, which were not aimed to estimate the solar activity, are reliable for evaluating solar activity. In this paper, we present the marginal notes about sunspots that are included in the manuscripts of the meridian solar observations made at the Royal Observatory of the Spanish Navy during the period 1833–1840. We compare these observations with other solar activity indices such as sunspot area and number. Our conclusion is that solar meridian observations should be used with extreme caution to evaluate past solar activity.
Reconstructing past solar activity using meridian solar observations: The case of the Royal Observatory of the Spanish Navy (1833–1840)
Advances in Space Research ; 53 , 8 ; 1162-1168
2014-01-16
7 pages
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
FOREST CONSERVATION FOR ROYAL NAVY TIMBER SUPPLIES IN NEW ZEALAND 1840–1841
Taylor & Francis Verlag | 1987
|Nautical almanac and astronomical ephemeris : for the meridian of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich
TIBKAT | Nachgewiesen 1767(1766) - 1959(1957)
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