globe at night: a citizen-scientist program to measure ... · the “classic” globe at night...
TRANSCRIPT
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GLOBE at Night:GLOBE at Night: A Citizen-Scientist A Citizen-Scientist
Night Sky BrightnessNight Sky Brightness
Program to Measure
Some slides adapted from the International Dark-Sky Association
Some images courtesy of NOAA
Connie Walker
National Optical Astronomy Observatory
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Light pollution is a globalissue with local solutions…
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…Increasing Over Time(Cinzano, Falchi, and Elvidge 2001)
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Los Angeles in 1908
& 1988, as seen
from Mt. Wilson
Observatory
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A Little Sky Glow CanMake All the Difference
Before Curfew After Curfew
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Shielding the Streetlight- a Demonstration
• Make sure you are in a very dark roomwith a low ceiling and a white surface.
• Unscrew the reflectors from both “mini-lights” and turn 1 on (“candle mode”).
• Place the bulb top of the “mini-light”barely into the big hole at the bottom ofthe white paper cube.
• With the room lights off, project the“stars” from the white paper cube ontothe ceiling.
“candle mode”
Planetarium withlight inside
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Shielding the Streetlight- a Demonstration
continued…
• Using a 2nd “mini-light” as a “streetlight”, place it on a table and turn iton.
• What do you notice about thenumber of stars?
• Now place the PVC cap (or anothershield) above the 2nd “mini-light” torepresent a shielded streetlight.
• What difference do you notice withand without the shield?
“streetlight”
shielded light
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Now you see the person…
Now you don’t…
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Unshielded vsShielded Fixtures
Unshielded
• Minimizes glare.
• Minimizes lightdirected upwardand skyglow.
• Minimizes lighttrespass.
• Minimizes energyuse & cost
Shielded
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Light Trespass
Sky Glow
3 Main Types of
Light Pollution
Glare
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Issues of Safety, Security
and Energy
12The lights of the city of Tucson, Arizona, USA, as seen from the observatory on nearby Kitt Peak
The Effects on Astronomical Research
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The Effects on Wildlife
One main problem light pollution causes for wildlife:
disorientation (sea turtles, birds, moths etc)13
The Effects on
Human Health
One main problem light pollution causes for humans:
disruption of people’s 24 hour internal clock (circadian rhythm)14
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What can you do?
Light pollution may be a global problem,
but you can be part of a local solution…
Feb. 5, 2008 NSN Telecon on GLOBE at Night 16
Use Quality Lighting
• See the effect, not the source.
• Shine the light down.
• No glare.
• Light only where and when needed.
• Don’t over light.
• Use energy efficient sources.
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The GLOBE at Night Program:
2 Ways to Participate
! The “classic” GLOBE at Night
observations that anyone can
have fun doing with their
unaided eyes
! An effort to obtain more precise
measurements of the night sky
using digital sky-brightness
meters
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The GLOBE atNight Program
• To learn about the impact of artificial lighting on towns and
cities, and the ongoing loss of a dark night sky as a natural
resource for much of the world.
• Citizen-scientists (YOU!) record the brightness of the night
sky by matching its appearance toward the constellation
Orion with charts of different limiting magnitudes.
• You can also measure sky brightness with Sky Quality
Meters.
• Measurements are submitted on-line and resulting maps
of all worldwide observations are created.
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Almost 7000 measurements,over 60 countries
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The Globe at Night Websitehttp://www.globe.gov/GaN/
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Steps to Observe
(unaided eye observations)
• Step #1. Find the constellation
Orion; note sky conditions
• Step #2. Match night sky to a
magnitude chart
• Step #3. Report your obser-
vations on-line
• Step #4. Input your latitude
and longitude
• Step #5. Compare your observation(s) to thousands
around the world
http://www.globe.gov/GaN/observe.html
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Step #1: Find YourLatitude & Longitude
• Use a GPS unit where you take ameasurement.
• Visit http://eo.ucar.edu/geocode/,http://www.earth.google.com, orhttp://www.itouchmap.com/latlong.htmlon-line. Input your location. Or inputyour city; zoom in/out and pan arounduntil you find your location.
• Use topographic map of your area.
• Determine your latitude and longitudewith the interactive tool when reporting
http://www.globe.gov/globeatnight/observe_latlong.html
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Find Your Latitude & Longitude
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•Determine the darkest area where themost stars are visible.
•Wait 10 minutes for your eyes to darkadapt.
•Comment on the sky conditions & yourobserving location, such as street lights.
http://www.globe.gov/globeatnight/observe_finder.html
• Locate Orion with Finder Charts at www.globe.gov/globeatnight/observe_finder.html.
• Between March 16-28, 2009, Orion will be midway between South& West. Orion will be 2 to 3 clenched fists (held at arm’s length)above the horizon between 7-10 pm. Orion looks like an “hourglass”.
Step #2: Finding Orion©
T.
Cre
dn
er
& S
. K
oh
le, A
llth
eS
ky.c
om
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Step #3: Match Night SkyStep #3: Match Night Sky
to a Magnitude Chart.to a Magnitude Chart.
Estimate cloud coverageEstimate cloud coverage..
Fill out the observationFill out the observation
sheet.sheet.
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Step #4. Report
Step #4. Report
observations on-
observations on-
line.line.
Observe anytime
Observe anytime
between March
between March
16-28, 2009.
16-28, 2009.
Do it again fro
m a
Do it again fro
m a
different lo
cation!
different lo
cation!
/report.cfmhttp://www.globe.gov/globeatnight/report.html
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85 miles 5 miles
Zoom in with “Map Viewer”
It is important to have many observations at about 1 km to 1mile apart. Then we can map out light pollution within cities…and show how safe, quality lighting can make a difference inprotecting night skies!
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Zoom in with “Map Viewer”
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Helpful Information
• Brightness or magnitude of
stars
• Finding Orion (interactive tool)
• Orion mythology
• Light pollution
• How number of stars changes
with light pollution and
how latitude affects the
orientation of Orion
(interactive tool)
http://www.globe.gov/GaN/learn.html
30July 19th, 2008 ALCON 2008
LP
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Data Input for GLOBE at Night
• REQUIRED INPUT:
– Date and Local Time !!!
– Latitude and Longitude
– Unaided eye observation
– Meter Reading!(from Sky Quality Meter)
• OPTIONAL INPUT
– Various additional comments
http://www.globe.gov/GaN/report.html
Report Form
DateTime
Orion data
SQM entry
SQM serial
number
Lat/Long
http://www.globe.gov/GaN/report.html
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The Sky Quality Meter
! Press start button
here:
! Light enters
here:
! Read-out numbers
here:
http://www.globe.gov/GaN/learn_SQM.html
The SQM is Easy to Use!
• Point the SQM’s sensor straight up
(toward zenith).
• The SQM should be held at or above
head level so that shadows or
reflections from your body do not
interfere with the reading.
• Avoid using in areas that are shaded
by trees or buildings or lit by lights.
Be at least as far away from those
objects as they are high.
• After you press the button to take a reading, the SQM will beep
while it is accumulating photons. The beeping will stop once the
reading is ready to be viewed.
http://www.globe.gov/GaN/learn_SQM.html
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What do the Sky QualityMeter Readings Mean?
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What to Watch Out ForWhen Using the SQM
• 4 other numbers are displayed when youpress and hold the button a second time:
The temperature in °C and °F andthen the model and serial numbers
• The meter readings are somewhattemperature dependent.
_ Leave the meter outside for a coupleof minutes before taking measure-ments depending on the temperaturedifferential.
_ the SQM company advises to toss outthe very first measurement.
• You should have an Orion measurementfor every SQM measurement.
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Unaided Eye Observationswith Population Density (Tucson)
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Take Back the Night!Participate in the
GLOBE at Night Campaign
• At least 2 out of 5 Americans have neverseen 90% of the stars in our night sky.
• With half the world's population now living incities, this problem is only getting worse.
• Yet you can easily be part of a local solutionto a global problem.
• Become a local coordinator.
• Take a few minutes to monitor your localnight sky brightness.
• Help preserve our natural heritage forgenerations to come.
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GLOBE at NightHow Many Stars?
Great World Wide Star Count• GLOBE at Night
Next GLOBE at Night campaign is March 16 - 28, 2009
Orion and Sky Quality Meters
www.globe.gov/globeatnight/
! How Many Stars?
Jan, Feb, April-Sept, Nov, Dec 2009
Little Dipper and 3 belt stars in Orion
www.sternhell.at/
! Great World Wide Star Count
Oct. 9 - 23, 2009
Cygnus and Sagittarius
www.starcount.org 39
Dark Skies Awareness
Global IYA Cornerstone
PROGRAMS
Citizen Science, Star-HuntingCitizen Science, Star-Hunting
Programs (e.g. GLOBE at Night)Programs (e.g. GLOBE at Night)Education ToolkitEducation Toolkit
Earth Hour Planetarium Show
Quiet Skies Traveling Exhibit, Posters, Brochures
Earth & Sky Photo Contest Great Switch Out
Dark Skies Discovery Sites Second-Life, Facebook, MySpace
Nights in the (National) Parks Podcasts
International Dark Sky Week &
World Night in Defense of Starlight
International Dark-Sky Communities,
Parks, & Reserves
www.darkskiesawareness.org 40
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Thank-you foryour kind attention!
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For more information
! Websites of interest:www.darkskiesawareness.org
www.globe.gov/GaN/
! Contact: Connie Walker1-520-318-8535 or
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QUESTIONS?
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