# How were sunspots observed prior to telescopes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 11, 2024, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-were-sunspots-observed-prior-to-telescopes/1001402 "2024-05-11T01:39:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 33
**Author:** ![Kelevra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/97f17d/32.png) [@Kelevra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelevra)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-were-sunspots-observed-prior-to-telescopes/1001402/33 "2024-05-13T18:38:27Z")
About 20 years ago I was in West Virginia on a very foggy morning. I could look directly at the sun without issue (wearing polarized sunglasses). I could see sunspots. I posted about it previously. > [@Did I see sun spots?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-see-sun-spots/767033/1): > > This happened maybe 10 years ago. (I could probably dig up the exact date if it’s important.) I was traveling with a co-worker in West Virginia. Around 10 a.m. we were driving (me in the passenger seat) in just enough clouds that the sun was not much more than a bright disc. With my polarized sunglasses I could look directly at the sun. It seemed to me that I could see sun spots. My co-worker was driving and other than noting that he too could look at the sun, he didn’t want to take his ey… --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-were-sunspots-observed-prior-to-telescopes/1001402)._