80 Years of Solar Astrophysics in Coimbra

At the beginning of the twentieth century (1907) Professor F. Costa Lobo, from the University of Coimbra, decided to build one of the first spectroheliographs in the world, a few years after the simultaneous invention of this instrument in Meudon and Mont Wilson Observatories. With this intention Professor F. Costa Lobo contacted the solar astronomers in Meudon and with their help built an identical spectroheliograph in Coimbra in order to study the structure of the solar chromosphere. As this instrument was identical to that in Meudon, French astronomers asked to complement their own observations with that of Coimbra. Thus a co-operative program between both institutions, the French partner being Dr. L. D’Azambuja. Since then the processing of observations and drawings of Synoptic Maps of Solar Activity are still based on Coimbra – Meudon observational material. This collaboration certainly is among the longest in astronomical studies and it also marked the beginning of European scientific collaborations.