The solar physics Observatory at Kodaikanal and John Evershed

Abstract

The Kodaikanal Observatory was established during the closing years of the 19th century to carry out scientific observations of the Sun. John Evershed, an established amateur solar observer, came to Kodaikanal in 1907 as the Chief Assistant to the Director and became the director of the observatory 4 years later. In 1909, he discovered the phenomenon of radial motion of gases in sun spots, the earliest successful observation of velocity fields due to a complex magnetohydrodynamicalprocess in actionin a celestial setting. Through Evershed’s work Kodaikanal became known as one of the premier solar observatories in the world.