Kandilli tracking sunspots by hand for 79 years

AFYONKARAHİSAR

A researcher records solar activity by mapping sunspots by hand.

Researchers from Istanbul’s Boğaziçi University have recorded sunspots by hand every day since 1947, a research institute official has said at an astronomy gathering in the western province of Afyonkarahisar.

The Scientific and Technical Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK) Sky Observation Event hosted hundreds of enthusiasts at Emre Lake for daytime solar monitoring and nighttime viewings of the Perseid meteor shower.

Institute lecturer Cihan Tuğrul Tezcan said they are pleased with visitor interest during their first attendance at the gathering. Fatih Gökmen established the observatory in 1920, starting observations with a 20-centimeter telescope, he said.

Continuous monitoring began in 1947 by projecting the sun’s image directly on paper to mark surface spots, Tezcan said.

“We keep these daily records, identify and number the spots and send them to international data centers to study the evolutionary structures, processes and activity periods,” he said.

International observatories still utilize this traditional method to ensure permanent data retention in both physical and digital archives, Tezcan said.

The filterless technique utilizing direct white light yields higher resolution data through the optical system’s diffraction limit compared to modern cameras requiring protective filters to preserve eye health and equipment lifespan, he said.

Observers normally must settle for limited camera resolution, but this manual method yields healthier and much more precise data, Tezcan said.

Located in Istanbul, Kandilli Observatory operates as Türkiye’s primary institution for seismology and astronomical research. TÜBİTAK regularly organizes observation events across various provinces to popularize space sciences for the public.