History Solar physics

1 history

1.1 ancient times
1.2 medieval times
1.3 renaissance period
1.4 modern times

history
ancient times

babylonians keeping record of solar eclipses, oldest record originating ancient city of ugarit, in modern-day syria. record dates 1300 bc. ancient chinese astronomers observing solar phenomena (such solar eclipses , visible sunspots) purpose of keeping track of calendars, based on lunar , solar cycles. unfortunately, records kept before 720 bc vague , offer no useful information. however, after 720 bc, 37 solar eclipses noted on course of 240 years.

medieval times

astronomical knowledge flourished in islamic world during medieval times. many observatories built in cities damascus baghdad, detailed astronomical observations taken. particularly, few solar parameters measured , detailed observations of sun taken. solar observations taken purpose of navigation, timekeeping. islam requires followers pray 5 times day, @ specific position of sun in sky. such, accurate observations of sun , trajectory on sky needed. in late 10th century, iranian astronomer abu-mahmud khojandi built massive observatory near tehran. there, took accurate measurements of series of meridian transits of sun, later used calculate obliquity of ecliptic. following fall of western roman empire, western europe cut sources of ancient scientific knowledge, written in greek. this, plus de-urbanisation , diseases such black death led decline in scientific knowledge in medieval europe, in middle ages. during period, observations of sun taken either in relation zodiac, or assist in building places of worship such churches , cathedrals.

renaissance period

in astronomy, renaissance period started work of nicolaus copernicus. proposed planets revolve around sun , not around earth, believed @ time. model known heliocentric model. work later expanded johannes kepler , galileo galilei. particularly, galilei used new telescope @ sun. in 1610, discovered sunspots on surface. in autumn of 1611, johannes fabricius wrote first book on sunspots, de maculis in sole observatis (on spots observed in sun).

modern times

modern day solar physics focused towards understanding many phenomena observed of modern telescopes , satellites. of particular interest structure of solar photosphere, coronal heat problem , sunspots.