Wolf’s number

Wolf’s number – The Wolf number was named after a Swiss scientist who worked in the field of astronomy and Rudolf Wolf (1816-1893).
The most significant characteristic that characterizes the degree of activity of the Sun was proposed by Rudolf Wolf in 1849. These are the so-called Wolf numbers or, in another way, the Zurich sunspots. Using simple means of observation, it is possible to determine the Wolf number using simple methods. To do this, you need to know the number of sunspots and their groups on the currently visible disk of the Sun.
The exact amount of Wolf that can be obtained from a particular observer is defined as the sum of the product of the number 10 by the total number of groups of sunspots, while each individual element is considered a group, as well as the total number of spots, both single and included in groups. In order to determine the relative Wolf number, it is necessary to multiply the absolute Wolf number by the normalization factor, which will be determined for each observer and his telescope.
After restoration according to historical sources, starting from the middle of the XVI century and ending with the time of the beginning of counting the number of sunspots, the information helped to calculate the average Wolf numbers for each past month. As a result, it became possible to determine the characteristics of solar activity cycles, starting from that time and up to the present day.