Francisco Salvá’s auroral observations from Barcelona during 1780–1825

Abstract: We present a record of auroral observations in Barcelona in the late 18th century and the early 19th century by Francisco Salvá. We have consulted the original manuscripts containing the meteorological readings made by Salvá. Dates of 19 aurorae and one brief auroral description have been identified. The annual number of aurorae observed by Salvá is compared with other auroral series at higher latitudes. Moreover, we have calculated the variation of geomagnetic latitude of Barcelona during the period under study. The main characteristic of this data set is an abrupt decrease of the annual number of auroral observations recorded in Barcelona around 1793. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]