Retinal Irradiance for Dummies

[JW233]

Hey all, thank you for taking a second to help me with my question.

I'm trying to create a sort of layman's chart that equivocates degrees of retinal irradiance to something that people are familiar with.

i.e.
10 W/cm^2 = staring at the sun
0.001 W/cm^2 = staring at a lightbulb
and so on and so forth

Is anyone familiar with something like this already existing, or has enough knowledge to help me fill in indicators for 0.01, 0.1, and 1 W/cm^2?

Thanks!

 

[joeyss]

I read looking at the sun in the sky=the same as a 1 mw laser.

can anyone confirm this?

 

[olympus mons]

I read looking at the sun in the sky=the same as a 1 mw laser.

can anyone confirm this?

I have heard this too but I would guess it refers to the amount of light or photons hitting your eye of equal area. Its hard for me to put it into words but I will try.
Maybe its meant that if the circumference of the spot of a 1mW laser was 1 mm it would be the same as looking at the sun through a 1mm hole punched through a piece of black paper. The amount of light from the sun coming through that hole is the same as the amount of light from a direct hit of a 1mW laser?

It would be surprising and hard to believe that a 1mW laser in your eye would be the same as looking at the entire sun. If that was the case then pointing a 1mW laser at a solar panel would produce equal power as the entire sun hitting the same panel. Doesn't seem right to me.
But someone more knowledgeable than I will chime in and explain hopefully.