6–10 Jul 2026
University of the Western Cape
Africa/Johannesburg timezone
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Building a Public Database for Ground-Based Solar Observations at the North-West University

8 Jul 2026, 16:20
1h 20m
Great Hall ( University of the Western Cape)

Great Hall

University of the Western Cape

Poster Presentation Track D - Astrophysics & Space Science Poster Session 2

Speaker

Ruhann Steyn (Centre for Space Research, North-West University)

Description

The solar telescope observatory at the North-West University has been operating since 2022 as a facility for routine ground-based solar observations in South Africa. A new development is the establishment of a public database through which these observations are made available in support of both education and scientific research. The resulting data products are intended to provide users with accessible visual representations of the observations while preserving the full scientific integrity of the original datasets. The images are presented in a physically meaningful solar reference frame that is directly comparable to space-based observations. The database includes basic preview plots facilitating inspection of the data and supporting efficient browsing of the available observations. In addition, the data are made available for download, enabling students, educators, and researchers to undertake independent analyses and further scientific investigation. This public resource has the potential to strengthen solar physics in South Africa by improving access to locally acquired solar observations for training, collaboration, and future research.

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Author

Ruhann Steyn (Centre for Space Research, North-West University)

Co-author

Calmay Lee (North-West University)

Presentation materials

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