COSIS: Coimbra Observatory Solar Information System

Abstract

Since 1926 full-disk spectroheliograms have been routinely taken in Coimbra, Observatory in the CaIIK line (K-1 and K-3) and in 1990 regular observations in the Ha line have also started. These observations are preformed by a spectroheliograph, a twin of the spectroheliograph operated at the Observatoire de Meudon. In 2002 we started to digitalize our collection of more than 30000 solar images. In 2005 we started the project COSTS (Coimbra Observatory: Solar Information System). The purpose of COSTS' is to develop a software tool for automatic image processing and feature recognition of sunspots (K-1), chromospheric plages (K-3), and filaments (H alpha) for usage by astronomers and other interested parties. At this stage of the project only automatic image processing of sunspot is being performed and the first results are presented in this contribution. However, we intend in the future to extend the automatic feature recognition process to chromospheric spectroheliograms (K-3 and Ha) as well.