| Records |
| Author |
Aubé, M.; Roby, J. |
| Title |
Sky brightness levels before and after the creation of the first International Dark Sky Reserve, Mont-Mégantic Observatory, Québec, Canada |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2014 |
Publication |
Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer |
Abbreviated Journal |
JQSRT |
| Volume |
139 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
52-63 |
| Keywords |
Skyglow; measurements; metrology; Mont-Mégantic; Quebec; Canada; modelling; radiative transfer; sky quality; sky brightness |
| Abstract |
In 2007, the area around the Mont-Mégantic Observatory (MMO) was officially certified by the International Dark-Sky Association and the Royal Astronomy Association of Canada as the first International Dark Sky Reserve (IDSR). In order to be able to investigate the impact of Artificial Light at Night on night sky brightness before and after the establishment of the IDSR, we used a heterogeneous artificial sky brightness model including an implicit calculation of 2nd order scattering (ILLUMINA) developed by Martin Aubé's group. This model generates three kinds of outputs: the sky radiance at the given site, observing angle and wavelength and the corresponding contribution and sensitivity maps. The maps allow for the identification of the origin of the sky radiance according to each part of the surrounding territory. For summer clear sky conditions, the results show that replacing light fixtures within a 25 km radius around the MMO with cut-off High Pressure Sodium devices and reducing the total installed radiant power to ~40% of its initial level are very efficient ways of reducing artificial sky brightness. The artificial sky brightness reduction at zenith observed after the establishment of the IDSR was ~50% in the 546 nm mercury spectral line, while the reduction obtained in the 569 nm sodium line was ~30%. A large part of that reduction can be associated to the reduction in radiant power. The contribution and sensitivity maps highlight critical zones where any changes in the lighting infrastructure have the most important impact on sky brightness at the MMO. Contribution and sensitivity maps have been used to analyze the detailed origin of sky brightness reduction. The results of this study are intended to support authorities in the management of their lighting infrastructure with the goal of reducing sky brightness. The results have been shared with MMO officials and are being used as a tool to improve sky quality at the observatory. |
| Address |
Tel.: +1 819 564 6350x4146. |
| Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
ScienceDirect |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
English |
Original Title |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
0022-4073 |
ISBN |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
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Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
IDA @ john @ |
Serial |
1099 |
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| Author |
Aubé, M.; Fortin, N.; Turcotte, S.; García, B.; Mancilla, A.; Maya, J. |
| Title |
Evaluation of the Sky Brightness at Two Argentinian Astronomical Sites |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2014 |
Publication |
Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific |
Abbreviated Journal |
Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific |
| Volume |
|
Issue |
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Pages |
000-000 |
| Keywords |
Skyglow; light pollution; astronomical observatories; sky brightness; site selection; LEO ++; El Leoncito; Kitt Peak; Mont-Mégantic; Argentina |
| Abstract |
Light pollution is a growing concern at many levels, especially for the astronomical community. Indeed, not only does artificial lighting veil celestial objects, it disturbs the measurement of many atmospheric phenomena. The sky brightness is one of the most relevant parameters for astronomical site selection. Our goal is to evaluate the sky brightness of two Argentinian observation sites: LEO ++ and El Leoncito. Both sites were preselected to host the Cherenkov Telescope Array. This project consists of an arrangement of many telescopes that can measure high-energy gamma ray emissions via their Cherenkov radiation produced when entering the earth’s atmosphere. In this paper, we describe the measurement methods used to determine whether those sites are valuable or not. We compared our results with the sky radiance of different renowned astronomical sites (Kitt Peak, Arizona, and Mont-Mégantic, Québec, Canada). Among our results, we found that LEO ++ is a good site, however the presence of a low layer of local aerosol can introduce uncertainties in the measurements. Consequently, El Leoncito would be a better option for such an installation. This latter site shows very low sky brightness levels, which are optimal for low light detection. |
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Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
0004-6280 |
ISBN |
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Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
IDA @ john @ |
Serial |
1071 |
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| Author |
Bará, S. |
| Title |
Black-body luminance and magnitudes per square arcsecond in the Johnson-Cousins BVR photometric bands |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2019 |
Publication |
Photonics Letters of Poland |
Abbreviated Journal |
Photon. Lett. Pl. |
| Volume |
11 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
63 |
| Keywords |
Skyglow; night sky brightness; luminance; photometric |
| Abstract |
A relevant amount of light pollution studies deal with the unwanted visual effects of artificial light at night, including the anthropogenic luminance of the sky that hinders the observation of the celestial bodies which are a main target of ground-based astrophysical research, and a key asset of the intangible heritage of humankind. Most quantitative measurements and numerical models, however, evaluate the anthropogenic sky radiance in any of the standard Johnson-Cousins UBVRI photometric bands, generally in the V one. Since the Johnson-Cousins V band is not identical with the visual CIE V-lambda used to assess luminance, the conversion between these two photometric systems turns out to be spectrum-dependent. Given its interest for practical applications, in this Letter we provide the framework to perform this conversion and the transformation constants for black-body spectra of different absolute temperatures. |
| Address |
Dept. Física Aplicada, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Galicia |
| Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
Photonics Society of Poland |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
English |
Original Title |
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| Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
2080-2242 |
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Medium |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
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Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
IDA @ john @ |
Serial |
2685 |
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| Author |
Bará, S.; Nievas, M.; Sanchez de Miguel, A.; Zamorano, J. |
| Title |
Zernike analysis of all-sky night brightness maps |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2014 |
Publication |
Applied Optics |
Abbreviated Journal |
Appl Opt |
| Volume |
53 |
Issue |
12 |
Pages |
2677-2686 |
| Keywords |
modeling; light at night; light pollution; all-sky; Zernike polynomials; image decomposition; sky brightness |
| Abstract |
All-sky night brightness maps (calibrated images of the night sky with hemispherical field-of-view (FOV) taken at standard photometric bands) provide useful data to assess the light pollution levels at any ground site. We show that these maps can be efficiently described and analyzed using Zernike circle polynomials. The relevant image information can be compressed into a low-dimensional coefficients vector, giving an analytical expression for the sky brightness and alleviating the effects of noise. Moreover, the Zernike expansions allow us to quantify in a straightforward way the average and zenithal sky brightness and its variation across the FOV, providing a convenient framework to study the time course of these magnitudes. We apply this framework to analyze the results of a one-year campaign of night sky brightness measurements made at the UCM observatory in Madrid. |
| Address |
Ãrea de Óptica, Dept. de FÃsica Aplicada, Fac. de FÃsica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
Optical Society of America |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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Series Title |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
0003-6935 |
ISBN |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:24787595 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
IDA @ john @ |
Serial |
318 |
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| Author |
Bará, S.; Tapia, C.; Zamorano, J. |
| Title |
Absolute Radiometric Calibration of TESS-W and SQM Night Sky Brightness Sensors |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2019 |
Publication |
Sensors |
Abbreviated Journal |
Sensors |
| Volume |
19 |
Issue |
6 |
Pages |
1336 |
| Keywords |
Instrumentation; calibration; SQM; TESS; photometer; sky brightness |
| Abstract |
We develop a general optical model and describe the absolute radiometric calibration of the readings provided by two widely-used night sky brightness sensors based on irradiance-to-frequency conversion. The calibration involves the precise determination of the overall spectral sensitivity of the devices and also the constant G relating the output frequency of the light-to-frequency converter chip to the actual band-weighted and field-of-view averaged spectral radiance incident on the detector (brightness). From these parameters, we show how to define a rigorous astronomical absolute photometric system in which the sensor measurements can be reported in units of magnitudes per square arcsecond with precise physical meaning. |
| Address |
Departmento Física Aplicada, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain; salva.bara(at)usc.es |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
MDPI |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
English |
Original Title |
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| Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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| Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
1424-8220 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
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Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
IDA @ john @ |
Serial |
2263 |
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| Author |
Barentine, J.C. |
| Title |
Going for the Gold : Quantifying and Ranking Visual Night Sky Quality in International Dark Sky Places |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2016 |
Publication |
International Journal of Sustainable Lighting |
Abbreviated Journal |
IJSL |
| Volume |
18 |
Issue |
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Pages |
9-15 |
| Keywords |
Society; conservation; dark sky places; dark sky; National parks; dark sky parks; national parks; Luminescent Measurements; Night sky brightness |
| Abstract |
Since the invention of electric lighting in the nineteenth century, the steadily increasing use of artificial light at night in outdoor spaces has grown to threaten the integrity of dark night skies and nocturnal terrestrial spaces. The conservation community has gradually come to accept the need to protect natural nighttime darkness, which finds expression in dark sky parks and similar protected areas. As these places begin to reap tangible economic benefits in the form of sustainable ‘astrotourism,’ the movement to actively protect them gains strength. The International Dark-Sky Association designates Dark Sky Parks and Reserves under a comparative ranking scheme that assigns night sky quality tiers according to a combination of objective and subjective characteristics, but shortcomings in the consistency of these ratings exist that undermine the consistency and reputation of the designation program. Here we consider potential changes to the qualification regime to make the ratings system more robust for the benefit of future designations. |
| Address |
3323 N 1st Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85719 USA; john(at)darksky.org |
| Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
International Journal of Sustainable Lighting |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
English |
Original Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
2586-1247 |
ISBN |
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Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
IDA @ john @ |
Serial |
1779 |
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| Author |
Bortle, J.E. |
| Title |
Introducing the Bortle Dark-Sky Scale. |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2001 |
Publication |
Sky & Telescope |
Abbreviated Journal |
Sky Telesc |
| Volume |
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Issue |
60 |
Pages |
126-129 |
| Keywords |
Vision; skyglow; visibility; sky brightness |
| Abstract |
How dark is your sky? The relationship between light pollution and astronomy is a concern amateurs and professional astronomers alike. Are your skies dark enough? A precise answer to this question is useful for comparing observing sites and, more important, for determining whether a site is dark enough to let you push your eyes, telescope, or camera to their theoretical limits. Likewise, you need accurate criteria for judging sky conditions when documenting unusual or borderline observations, such as an extremely long comet tail, a faint aurora, or subtle features in galaxies. |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
Sky Publishing |
Place of Publication |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
English |
Original Title |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
0037-6604 |
ISBN |
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Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
LoNNe @ kagoburian @; IDA @ john @ |
Serial |
556 |
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| Author |
C-Sanchez, E.; Sanchez-Medina, A.J.; Alonso-Hernandez, J.B.; Voltes-Dorta, A. |
| Title |
Astrotourism and Night Sky Brightness Forecast: First Probabilistic Model Approach |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2019 |
Publication |
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) |
Abbreviated Journal |
Sensors (Basel) |
| Volume |
19 |
Issue |
13 |
Pages |
2840 |
| Keywords |
Society; Astrotourism; Skyglow; night sky brightness; artificial neural networks |
| Abstract |
Celestial tourism, also known as astrotourism, astronomical tourism or, less frequently, star tourism, refers to people's interest in visiting places where celestial phenomena can be clearly observed. Stars, skygazing, meteor showers or comets, among other phenomena, arouse people's interest, however, good night sky conditions are required to observe such phenomena. From an environmental point of view, several organisations have surfaced in defence of the protection of dark night skies against light pollution, while from an economic point of view; the idea also opens new possibilities for development in associated areas. The quality of dark skies for celestial tourism can be measured by night sky brightness (NSB), which is used to quantify the visual perception of the sky, including several light sources at a specific point on earth. The aim of this research is to model the nocturnal sky brightness by training and testing a probabilistic model using real NSB data. ARIMA and artificial neural network models have been applied to open NSB data provided by the Globe at Night international programme, with the results of this first model approach being promising and opening up new possibilities for astrotourism. To the best of the authors' knowledge, probabilistic models have not been applied to NSB forecasting. |
| Address |
Management Science and Business Economics Group, University of Edinburgh Business School, Edinburgh EH8 9JS, UK |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
1424-8220 |
ISBN |
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| Notes |
PMID:31247919 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
GFZ @ kyba @ |
Serial |
2571 |
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| Author |
Caruana, J.; Vella, R.; Spiteri, D.; Nolle, M.; Fenech, S.; Aquilina, N.J. |
| Title |
A photometric mapping of the night sky brightness of the Maltese islands |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2020 |
Publication |
Journal of Environmental Management |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Environ Manage |
| Volume |
261 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
110196 |
| Keywords |
Skyglow; *Atmosphere; Ecology; *Environmental Pollution; Humans; Islands; Light pollution; Night sky brightness; Site testing; Techniques: photometric |
| Abstract |
Over the years, the Maltese Islands have seen a marked rise in the prevalence of artificial lighting at night. The most evident type of light pollution arising from this evolution in anthropogenic night-time lighting is artificial skyglow via partial back-scattering in the atmosphere, leading to an increase in the Night Sky Brightness (NSB). The importance of understanding and quantifying the geographical distribution of the NSB is underscored by the adverse impact of light pollution on various spheres, from astronomical observation to ecology and human health. For the first time, we present a detailed map of the NSB over the Maltese archipelago carried out with Unihedron Sky Quality Meters. We show that the vast majority of the area of the Maltese Islands is heavily light polluted, with 87% of the area registering a NSB < 20.39magSQM/arcsec(2) (Bortle Class 5 or higher) and 37.3% < 19.09magSQM/arcsec(2) (Bortle Class 6 or higher), with the Milky Way being visible for only 12.8% of the area (adopting a visibility threshold > 20.4 – 21.29magSQM/arcsec(2); Bortle Class 4). Coastal Dark Sky Heritage Areas on the island of Gozo retain generally darker skies than the rest of the islands, but light pollution originating further inland is encroaching upon and adversely affecting these sites. The methodology presented in this study can be adopted for continued future studies in Malta as well as for other regions. |
| Address |
Department of Geosciences, University of Malta, Msida MSD 2080, Malta; joseph.caruana ( at ) um.edu.mt |
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| Publisher |
Elsevier |
Place of Publication |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
English |
Original Title |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
0301-4797 |
ISBN |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:31999608 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
IDA @ john @ |
Serial |
3404 |
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| Author |
Cinzano, P. |
| Title |
Night Sky Photometry with Sky Quality Meter |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2005 |
Publication |
Technical Report 9, ISTIL. V1.4. |
Abbreviated Journal |
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| Volume |
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Issue |
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Pages |
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| Keywords |
Instrumentation; light pollution; night sky brightness; photometry; instruments; calibration |
| Abstract |
Sky Quality Meter, a low cost and pocket size night sky brightness photometer, opens to the general public the possibility to quantify the quality of the night sky. Expecting a large diffusion of measurements taken with this instrument, I tested and characterized it. I analyzed with synthetic photometry and laboratory measurements the relationship between the SQM photometrical system and the main systems used in light pollution studies. I evaluated the conversion factors to Johnson’s B and V bands, CIE photopic and CIE scotopic responses for typical spectra and the spectral mismatch correction factors when specific filters are added. |
| Address |
Dipartimento di Astronomia, Vicolo dell’Osservatorio 2, I-35100 Padova, Italy; cinzano(at)lplab.it |
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ISTIL |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
English |
Original Title |
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Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
LoNNe @ christopher.kyba @ |
Serial |
473 |
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