The sunspot observations by Samuel Heinrich Schwabe

TL;DR

This paper presents a comprehensive inventory and evaluation of Samuel Heinrich Schwabe's extensive sunspot observation records from 1825-1867, including digitized drawings and reports, providing valuable historical solar activity data.

Contribution

It offers the first detailed catalog and assessment of Schwabe's sunspot observations, digitizing and analyzing over 8,486 drawings and 3,699 verbal reports for future solar research.

Findings

Digitized 8,486 sunspot drawings and 3,699 verbal reports.

Identified 31 reports of possible aurorae.

Provided a structured inventory for historical solar activity data.

Abstract

A long time-series of sunspot observations is preserved from Samuel Heinrich Schwabe who made notes and drawings of sunspots from 1825-1867. Schwabe's observing records are preserved in the manuscript archives of the Royal Astronomical Society, London. The drawings have now been digitized for future measurements of sunspot positions and sizes. The present work gives an inventory and evaluation of the images obtained from the log books of Schwabe. The total number of full-disk drawings of the sun with spots is 8486, the number of additional verbal reports on sunspots is 3699. There are also 31 reports about possible aurorae.