7 replies to this topic

[Zi Mishkal]

Hi all,

So last week I finally broke down and purchased a sky quality meter from unihedron. And I want to have my data contribute to the whole. So where do I send it? Specifically, which places (loss of night, globe ar night) are actually still in business and using the data?

I ask because my day job is a field geologist for the state of WV and I frequently have to travel overnight to various parts of the state. It's no big deal for me to go out after dark and grab some measurements (having cell signal otoh may be an issue lol).

Moreover WV tends to be a wasteland for data and is known as one of the darkest places east of the Mississippi. So I think these data will fill in a hole nicely.

Thanks in advance.

[wrvond]

When I was an Environmental Inspector for the State I travelled Monday through Friday pretty much every week. I have been in every single town at least once. I too thought it would be great to add to the knowledge base and purchased an SQM from Unihedron. 

 

I never did successfully find anybody that wanted the information.

[TOMDEY]

If anyone would know --- it would likely be Unihedron! To make the data meaningfully apples-apples would logically stipulate e.g. exact date and time, lat, long, altitude, and pointing to zenith. Over time, (a year or more) sufficient data (including redundant readings over time) would begin to show meaningful trends and nominals/statistics... and (as you are implying) identification of especially favorable areas, locations and seasons. Logically, it would take some "champion" to maybe coordinate with Unihedron and  gratuitously offer to do the data reduction and sharing. Sounds like a good little project for either an amateur astronomer or undergrad student looking to work a project for credit... and/or just for the fun of it. I did that kind of stuff often back when I was a student.

 

The missing link is for someone to step forward and decide to be that Champion. I wouldn't hold my breath, though. We get "Someone Should" suggestions here often. It's actually one of the most common threads on technical chat sites.    Tom

[psychwolf]

Enter your sky quality data to the app, Loss of the Night, it's what I do. They upload the data to dark sky databases.

If there is a public utility, you could also use the light readings near a club or area to protect dark sky, to convince the utility to "fix" their light poles by installing proper light shielding around the sides, I've done this a few times by our observatory and a local park to make an argument for faulty installation with no side shielding. 25% success rate maybe, unless they installed something I didn't notice on some of the light poles.

[Neinball]

I'd email the people at www.darksitefinder.com or Dark Sky International, they'd prob want the data you collect to add to their maps.

[Zi Mishkal]

WV had one location.  Now it has 3 😁

[waltj]

I have found a site to upload data from your SQM. It is https://app.globeatnight.org

 

waltj

[JayinUT]

Unihedron has a SQM database you can upload to HERE. You create an account, you can set up your own locations and enter data there and track it over time. You can see all readings at this LINK.  You can sort all readings by date or brightness. Sorting by brightness is fun . . . just realize these readings are what the individual reports, not linked to the SQM. 

Edited by JayinUT, 15 November 2024 - 06:04 PM.