Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
May 2011
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011aas...218.9702l&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #218, #97.02; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 43, 2011
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
The Spaceweather website (www.spaceweather.com) hosts a daily picture of the near-side of the sun from SDO/HMI which identifies sunspot groups by number. The site also includes an overall Boulder sunspot number from the past 24 hours. While this information can be helpful for visual sunspot observers who are just beginning to learn the techniques of careful visual sunspot counts (for example, how to identify complex groups and how to carefully examine the limb of the sun), the "power of suggestion" this data might have on an observer cannot be ignored. An observer can check their observation against this "standard" in nearly real-time and may be tempted to alter their data to conform to what they consider to be a more reliable standard. This preliminary study first examined the effects of the Spaceweather site on a class of college students just beginning to learn white light solar observing, and then compared the results of an experienced solar observer with the Spaceweather data.
No associations
LandOfFree
The Effect of Online Sunspot Data on Visual Solar Observers does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The Effect of Online Sunspot Data on Visual Solar Observers, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Effect of Online Sunspot Data on Visual Solar Observers will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1735949