Daniel M\"ogling's sunspot observations in 1626 - 1629: A manuscript reference for the solar activity before the Maunder Minimum

TL;DR

This paper analyzes Daniel Möglings' 1626-1629 sunspot observations, revising historical data, deriving sunspot positions, and contextualizing them within solar cycle activity before the Maunder Minimum.

Contribution

It provides a detailed revision and analysis of Möglings' original sunspot observations, including new data, corrected dates, and positional information, enhancing historical solar activity records.

Findings

Revised 134 days of sunspot group data with corrected dates.

Derived sunspot positions at 2-23 degrees heliographic latitude.

Indicated a decline in solar activity during Solar Cycle -12 in the 1620s.

Abstract

The sunspot groups have been observed since 1610 and their numbers have been used for evaluating the amplitude of solar activity. Daniel M\"ogling recorded his sunspot observations for more than 100 days in 1626 - 1629 and formed a significant dataset of sunspot records before the Maunder Minimum. Here, we have analysed his original manuscripts in the Universit\"ats- und Landesbibliothek Darmstadt (ULBD) to review M\"ogling's personal profile and observational instruments and derive number and positions of the sunspot groups. In his manuscript, we have identified 134 days with an exact sunspot group number and 3 days of additional descriptions. Our analyses have completely revised their observational dates and group number, added 19 days of hitherto overlooked observations, and removed 8 days of misinterpreted observations. We have also revisited sunspot observations of Schickard and Hortensius and revised their data. These results have been compared with the contemporary observations. Moreover, we have derived the sunspot positions from his sunspot drawings and located them at 2{\deg}-23{\deg} in the heliographic latitude in both solar hemispheres. Contextualised with contemporary observations, these results indicate their temporal migration to lower heliographic latitudes and emphasise its location in the declining phase of Solar Cycle -12 in the 1620s. His observations were probably conducted using a pinhole and camera obscura, which made M\"ogling likely underestimate the sunspot group number by >~ 33% - 52 %. This underestimation should be noted upon their comparison with the modern datasets.