History of Astronomy – A History of Sunspotting, by Brendan Owens

Once thought of as a pure and unblemished disc of light, the Sun does in fact break out in spots. Observations of these cosmic blemishes opened the gateway to exploring the physics of the Sun and the Sun-Earth system. This talk takes us back in time to explore pre-telescopic sunspot observations and charts the history of their study up to and including the early 1900s. It’s a history replete with mystery, strange notions, risk to life and limb (well, eyesight at the very least) and revelations that shaped our contemporary understanding of the Sun. This is a slow-burn tale of scientific discovery that includes cunning inventions as well as changes in the communication and organisation of scientific endeavours.

Throughout the talk, figures well-known and perhaps lesser-known will be highlighted for their contributions to a greater understanding of the nature of sunspots. The talk will be ordered chronologically, but will feature…