Région Central (Granulations), July 8, 1885, 7h 22m 10s
Jules Janssen
French, 1824–1907
August 5, 1877-June 22, 1894
A woodburytype photographic print by astronomer Jules Janssen made to record the Sun’s granular surface—known as solar granulation—at a precise moment on July 8, 1885.
At first glance it reads as an all-over, shimmering field of fine, sandlike specks whose subtle shifts of light and shadow suggest rounded, cell‑like structures and a restless, tactile surface rather than any singular object.
An early example of astrophotography that translated delicate scientific observation into a reproducible image, making the Sun’s dynamic texture visible to scientists and the public and helping advance photographic methods for scientific recording.
Medium
woodburytype
Dimensions
21 1/8 × 17 9/16" (53.7 × 44.6 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Horace W. Goldsmith Fund through Robert B. Menschel
Accession
360.2010.3
Palette
Exhibitions
