A team re-analyzed Kepler's 17th-century sunspot drawings, solving a solar cycle puzzle. They confirmed the observations as sunspots, not transits of Mercury, aligning with earlier Chinese records and modern analysis.
Several historical figures, including Chinese astronomers, a Benedictine monk, and English astronomer Thomas Harriot, made early observations of sunspots. Galileo and Johannes Fabricus also contributed key insights to the study of sunspots in the early 17th century.
Kepler, after initially mistaking sunspots for Mercury transits, corrected his observations in 1618. He admired Dutch astronomer Fabricus' work and made his own sunspot observations, contributing significantly to the understanding of these solar features.
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