| What did we know about the Sun before the telescope was invented? |
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Before the days of the telescope people could only study the main features of the Sun. Neither the Sun nor the phenomena on the Sun were understood, but neither was the rest of the universe!
It was not until the telescope was invented that the heliocentric world-view gradually gained ground.
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The sun with large sunspots photographed from SOHO 26.03.2001. Photo: ESA/NASA.
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Before the telescope was invented dark spots on the Sun were seen on rare occasions. Only the very largest of the so-called sunspots could be observed.
Even if the Sun shines very glaringly, it is possible to observe it without feeling pain in our eyes. If there is a fog of average density we may see the Sun as a moonlike disc. Then it is also possible to see really large sunspots.
Never stare at the Sun! There are safer ways of studying the Sun and we shall return to this later on. |
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Click on the image in order to start the animation of the sunspots. (184 kB).
Animation: SOHO/NASA |
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In connection with total solar eclipses people had from time immemorial been frightened at the imposing corona that is only visible for a few minutes. At each individual place of the globe such solar eclipses are very rare and they made extremely great impressions. Each individual human being could not count on experiencing more than one total solar eclipse.
Our forefathers could probably have followed these spots without telescopes. They would, however, have risked destroying their sight. |
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