An Early Low Latitude Aurora Observed by Rozier (Beziers, 1780)
Abstract. Aurorae Observations are an uncommon phenomenon at low latitudes that, at the end of the 18th century was not well known and understood. Low latitude Aurorae observations provide information about episodes of intense solar storms associated with flares and outstanding coronal mass ejection (CME) and on the variation of the geomagnetic field. However, for many observers at low latitude, the features of a northern light were unknown, so he could easily report it as a phenomenon without explanation. In this work, we found that an earlier low latitude aurora was observed in Beausejour, close to Beziers (43°53' N, 3°35' E), France, by the abbot Francois Rozier. He was a meticulous botanist, doctor and agronomist with special interest in atmospheric phenomena. On 15 August 1780, from 20:05 to 20:17 (Universal Time), Francois Rozier observed a phosphoric cloud. A careful analysis of the report points out that he was reporting an auroral event. The recovery of auroral events at low latitude during the 1780's is very useful to shed light to the solar activity during this period because there are few records of sunspot observations.