9 replies to this topic

[IvanLake]

So I wanted to be able to tell people, when they look through my H-Alpha at a visible prominence that they're now joining a rare group..of 'Some percentage of people' That  has seen live and in person, a solar prominence.

 

I asked Chat GTP-

 

"I would like your best wild **** guess as to the percentage of Earth's population that have seen, in person through properly equipped telescope, an actual solar prominence, which has to be observed in H- Alpha wavelength.."

 

Long story short, 

0.022%

 

We plugged in if they are looking H-Alpha, then 90% has seen a Prominence. 

 

Thoughts ?

[scanner97]

Welcome to CN.  Not being a solar person, I'm curious what it means to see a solar prominence "live and in person".  Also, what does "looking Ha" refer to here?  At 90%, I'd assume it can't be "live" - whatever that means, and I'd still say 90% is a WAG.  (Does that mean it's a hallucination?)

[hopskipson]

I think you should start with “how many amateur astronomers there are “ then possibly “how many are solar astronomers “

[ch-viladrich]

And then "how many solar amateurs have a Ha telescope" ?

 

And you can possibly cross-check this by asking "how many solar Ha telescopes have been sold" ?

 

[John Rogers]

I think the number could potentially be high.  For anyone who has observed a total solar eclipse, they have likely observed a prominence, live and in-person, with the un-aided eye.

[sharkmelley]

I think 90% is probably right i.e. for those looking at the sun in H-alpha, I would expect 90% of them to have seen a prominence.

[SCTUSER]

Hi.

I just got a Lunt 40mm  Ha telescope.
Personally I've seen a prominence every day since I go it recently.

Allan

[IvanLake]

Welcome to CN.  Not being a solar person, I'm curious what it means to see a solar prominence "live and in person".  Also, what does "looking Ha" refer to here?  At 90%, I'd assume it can't be "live" - whatever that means, and I'd still say 90% is a WAG.  (Does that mean it's a hallucination?)

Live and in person= Same as it means to be looking directly at the rings of Saturn rather than a video somebody took a week ago ..

Looking H-Alpha, = If somebody's looking at the sun in the wavelength of H Alpha, there's almost always a solar prominence on the Sun, so 90% chance that they will see at least a small prominence.

[IvanLake]

I think you should start with “how many amateur astronomers there are “ then possibly “how many are solar astronomers “

I don't think that's an important number and the reason why, is if you have a H-a filter you have probably, at an observing session where people are around, you probably shared it with five or 35 people. You get more curious people during the daylight solar observing than you do doing regular Astromy at 2:00 in the morning. 

[IvanLake]

I think the number could potentially be high.  For anyone who has observed a total solar eclipse, they have likely observed a prominence, live and in-person, with the un-aided eye.

Excellent point ! I didn't even consider the total solar eclipse occurrences.. Alot of people across the world gather for those!  and I didn't consider .. and it hasn't even been a year. I feel dumb.

Gotta plug that in!