relative sunspot number

(astronomy) A measure of sunspot activity, computed from the formula R = k(10g + f), where R is the relative sunspot number, f the number of individual spots, g the number of groups of spots, and k a factor that varies with the observer (his or her personal equation), the seeing, and the observatory (location and instrumentation). Also known as sunspot number; sunspot relative number; Wolf number; Wolf-Wolfer number; Zurich number.

astrophysics An indicator of sunspot activity. The sum of the number of spots and ten times the number of disturbed regions, multiplied by a constant, depending on the instrument.