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Unpublished paper, 'Researches on solar physics no. II. Account of some recent observations on sunspots made at the Kew Observatory [London]' by Warren de la Rue, Balfour Stewart and Benjamin Loewy

Reference number: AP/51/4

Date: 1868

Description

The authors, after reviewing briefly the two theories on the nature of sunspots, which are still subjects of dispute, state the reasons which have led them to believe that sunspots are cavities and at a lower level than the Sun's photosphere. Their opinion has been recently strengthened by observations of a sunspot on 7 May 1868, which in disappearing produced in two successive photograms indentations in the west limb. After proving by the measurements made, which, with the calculations, are appended to their paper, that there can be no doubt about the identity of the heliographical elements of the previously observed spot and the successive indentations, they prove from the established details of the phenomena of sunspots that such indentations must under all circumstances be very rare occurrences, and state fully the conditions favourable to the recurrence of similar observations, inviting observers to give their particular attention to them.

Note on front reads 'Voted on after the vol. for 1868 was bound.' and 'Archives Feb/72'.

Subject: Astronomy

Received 2 June 1868. Read 18 June 1868.

Whilst the Royal Society declined to publish this paper in full, an abstract of the paper was published in volume 16 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'Account of some recent observation on Sun-spots, made at the Kew Observatory'.

Reference number
AP/51/4
Earliest possible date
1868
Physical description
Ink and graphite pencil on paper
Page extent
13 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator names

Warren de la Rue

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Balfour Stewart

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Citation

Warren de la Rue, Balfour Stewart, Unpublished paper, 'Researches on solar physics no. II. Account of some recent observations on sunspots made at the Kew Observatory [London]' by Warren de la Rue, Balfour Stewart and Benjamin Loewy, 1868, AP/51/4, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_51_4/unpublished-paper-researches-on-solar-physics-no-ii-account-of-some-recent-observations-on-sunspots-made-at-the-kew-observatory-london-by-warren-de-la-rue-balfour-stewart-and-benjamin-loewy, accessed on 14 November 2024

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  • Archived Papers

    Dates: 1768-1989

    The 'Archived Papers' collection is comprised of original manuscript scientific papers and letters submitted to the Royal Society which remained unpublished or were abstracted in the journal 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' published from 1830 onwards.

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