Solaemon

The logo

The logo is based on a groundplan of "Caracol", an ancient Maya-observatory. From observations, the Maya's were able to determine the length of the tropical year (365,242... days; the time the sun needs to pass through 2 consecutive vernal equinoxes) with an accuracy comparable to that determined by current-day technology. A schematized groundplan of Caracol can also be found on the colorful stone entrancewall of Kitt Peak, an observatory containing the McMath-Pierce, one of the most important solar telescopes in the world.

For reasons of symmetry, the groundplan was changed slightly, and the rectangle now really has 4 right angles.

The logo contains two of the most mysterious constants known in nature. The first one is of course pi (= 3,1415...), evident in the circles. Using pi, another constant can be calculated: "e". This constant is especially used in statistics and is related to pi by Euler's equation: 1 + e^{i . pi} = 0.

The other constant is "phi" (=1,618... ; ), the golden ratio. This constant appears everywhere, from something simple as the seeds in a sunflower to architectural masterpieces as the Parthenon. Phi's value can be found in different places of the logo. First, there is the pentagonal star, symbolizing the sun. The angular points are separated by 72°, and it can be shown that 2 . cos(72°) = 1/phi. The ratio between the length of the base of the near-square to the length of the upperside equals phi, as well as the ratio between the surface of the square to the surface of the outer circle. Finally, the ratio of the circumference of the outer circle (360°) to the drawn segment (222,5°) also equals phi: the principle of the golden angle.

Aside these gadgets, the logo - and thus also Solaemon - especially symbolizes an observatory on earth from which the sun is being monitored.

The author

I set my first steps in the world of astronomy when I was about eleven years old. That had everything to do with the Voyagers making all those exciting discoveries on Jupiter and Saturn at the time. It was only in 1985 that I started observing the sun. I recorded my first observation on 02 April 1985, and my observations were officially incorporated by the Solar Section of the Astronomical Association of Belgium (VVS) in the summer of 1987. On 06 September 2008, I recorded my 2000th solar observation.

Till august 1995, I observed with a 6-cm-refractor and 56x magnification. I then converted to a Celestron 8" with a 68x magnification, a glass objectif filter in combination with a blue ocular filter. This setup considerably increased the contrast of the solar image. That was necessary too, as I was gradually changing my observation targets. No longer I was concentrating on Wolf- or Becknumber: I was starting to pay attention to the McIntosh' Classification Value, and to the counting of the polar faculae. As of september 1999, aside the latter two, I only determined the groupnumber and the number of naked-eyespots.

Meanwhile, I had served three years as leader of the Belgian Solar Section. I had published articles especially in Heelal, the monthly of the VVS. In 1995, I had also written a brochure on the sun for the Public Observatory of MIRA. By a fortunate coincidence at work, I was able to spend the period 1996-2000 in beautiful San Antonio, Texas. Though scorching hot, the seeing was most of the time better than during the best Belgian summer days. Hence, polar faculae could be well observed. During that period, I also observed my first (and so far only succesful) total solar eclipse on 26 February 1998 in the Caribbean. I also followed the online course of "Predicting the Spaceweather" of the Solar Terrestrial Dispatch. Together with Franky Dubois, the solar section leader, I started on the website of the solar section a webpage for tracking the number of polar faculae, and a page for the monitoring of the solar cycle. The polar faculae page is still at Franky's website with updates in the monthly Newsletter. The solar cycle page was transfered to Solaemon's site.

Back in Belgium, I was awakened quite rudely: an abominable seeing, and only a few hours during the morning of observation time. This had a significant impact on the polar faculae observations, and resulted in a study about the influence of the seeing on this kind of observations. At the end of 2001, MIRA Public Observatory asked me for an actualisation of the 1995 solar brochure. This resulted in the book "Sun and Earth: a unique relation" that was published late 2003. Since February 2005, I maintain the Solaemon website. In 2006, I started up the H-alpha observation program, and obtained a PST to allow for proper H-alpha observations. Results are published on this website, and there are a dozen observers within the BSS of whom the results are published in the section's Newsletter.

Since 2007, focus was mainly on the prediction of the start and maximum of the 24th solar cycle. I've also finished the CV-project, and have published on a regular base about climate and related topics. Over the next years, I will continue to dedicate my attention to all of the aforementioned issues.

The book

The book "Zon en Aarde: een unieke relatie" (Sun and Earth: a unique relation) is published by Volkssterrenwacht MIRA and Garant.

In 5, colorfully illustrated chapters, the following topics are covered: origin and evolution (including exoplanets), composition and structure, observing the sun, the solar cycle (including a diary of the 23rd solar cycle), and - of course - the relationship between sun and earth. There are 6 supplements, focusing on elementary particles, the proton-proton-cycle, the spectrum, solar eclipses (essentially a report of my Caribbean experience), the determination of position and area of sunspotgroups, and a series of tables on filters (visual and H-alpha), solar satellites,... The book contains an extensive reference list, a list of abbreviations, and an index. Though there exist a few similar books in English, certainly in Dutch it is the only available book dealing with all of these topics together and at this level.

The book is especially a "do-book", proof being the entire chapter on solar observation. It is a very handy reference guide, and it focuses on the internet (the reference list contains several web addresses). Aside the solar diary, a lot of attention is being paid to the earth's climate, putting in perspective the most recent evolutions.

The sun influences the earth in quite a number of areas, and is the key to future scientific and technological research. This book hopes to make a contribution to the monitoring and interpretation of all of these trends.

Contact

Questions or remarks can always be mailed to me at jpm(dot)janssens(at)telenet(dot)be