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Solar Photography in the Nineteenth Century: the Case of the Infante D. Luiz Observatory in Lisbon (1871-1880)

Authors: Bonifácio, Vitor; Malaquias, Isabel; J. Fernandes

Ref.: Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage Vol. 10, No. 2, 101-113 (2007)

Abstract: The Infante D. Luiz Observatory, located in Lisbon, was one of the leading Portuguese meteorologic and magnetic research institutions in the second half of the 19th century. Following the distribution of the equipment bought by the Portuguese government for the total solar eclipse expedition of 1870 December 22, the D. Luiz Observatory acquired an equatorial telescope. João Carlos de Brito Capello, one of the two Infante D. Luiz chief observers, seized this opportunity and decided, in early 1871, to embark in a programme of daily solar photography to study the relationship between the solar activity, in particular the sunspots, and the terrestrial magnetic field. The programme was active between 1871 and 1880, albeit intermittently, having been well received by the international community and led to a couple of publications. For a time the Infante D. Luiz Observatory solar photographs not only kept a record of the sunspot activity complementing similar work done elsewhere but were amongst the best available everywhere. This article proposes to give an account of its implementation and development in the context of the solar photography of the period.

URL: cdsads.u-strasbg.fr