Solar observation techniques | XIX century

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pedro
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Solar observation techniques | XIX century

Post by pedro »

Solar observation techniques | XIX century

Two articles on solar observation techniques

Re', P. (2021). William Herschel's Solar Observation Techniques
http://pedroreastrophotography.com/Will ... 25_PRE.pdf

Re', P. (2020). History of solar observation.
http://pedroreastrophotography.com/Hist ... 201113.pdf


christian viladrich
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Re: Solar observation techniques | XIX century

Post by christian viladrich »

Excellent Pedro !!
The experiments made by W. Herschell are a bit frightening. There was no ISO norm back then ;-)


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pedro
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Re: Solar observation techniques | XIX century

Post by pedro »

Thanks Christian

Very frightening indeed.

(...)
In 1801, Herschel viewed the sun through a mixture of ink diluted with water and filtered through paper. It gave an image of the sun ' as white as snow '. An eyepiece was then filled with a solution of ferrous sulphate with ' tincture of galls '. This gave a dark blue solar image which changed, on adding more ferrous sulphate to the solution, to an image 'of a deep red colour.'

It's also very interesting to read John Herschel description of his Helioscope, that was never built

(...)
The first Helioscope was described by John Herschel in his book The Telescope. This solar telescope was never built.

The Helioscope – There is yet another species of reflecting telescope to be noticed, the specula of which are made of unsilvered glass, employing only the portions of light reflected at their surfaces. The object of this construction (first proposed by the author of this article in 1847 – Results of Astron. Obs. At the Cape of Hope, P. 436) is to obviate the necessity of employing darkening glasses in viewing the Sun with telescopes of great power, which break by the heat and endanger the eye, besides other inconveniences (...)


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Re: Solar observation techniques | XIX century

Post by Carbon60 »

Don’t you just love the historical roots of solar observation, and astronomy in general.

Thanks for sharing, Pedro.

Stu.


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Re: Solar observation techniques | XIX century

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Very interesting Pedro and thanks vm for the post

Regards
Terry


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Re: Solar observation techniques | XIX century

Post by DeepSolar64 »

Pedro,
We walk in the footsteps of giants my friend. Those who paved the way often with considerable risk, like Herschel with his experimental filters. We must remember that he just could not go out and order one from somewhere as we do. He had to learn the nature of sunlight at great risk to find a material, combination of materials or medium that would work. And then there is the diligence of Carrington visually sketching a projected image and discovering what may have been the largest solar flares then and since. Then there is the concept of the helioscope of John Herschel, the solar eyepiece and the Solar ( Herschel ) wedge that now bears his name. We should remember our solar pioneers. Both amateur and professional owe them thanks and walk in their shadow.

:bow

Thanks for posting these.

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Re: Solar observation techniques | XIX century

Post by pedro »

Thanks a lot guys, appreciate your kind comments.


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