Dark Sky Meter
Pocket.science
| Presented By | Pocket.science |
|---|---|
| Goal |
Help scientists understand effects of light pollution.
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| Task |
Use the camera of your iphone to measure "skyglow" in real time.
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| Description |
The Dark Sky Meter (available for iPhones) allows citizen scientists to contribute to a global map of nighttime light pollution. Light pollution is a growing problem in urban environments, but now you can help scientists better understand its effects on the environment. The map is also a great help for (amateur) astronomers looking for dark skies. By utilizing the camera built in to your iPhone, the Dark Sky Meter actually measures ‘skyglow’ and updates the data in real time. The app also charts weather conditions and cloud cover so you can take readings at optimal times. The app is as easy to use as taking a picture, and is a fun way to learn about your night sky. The Results are live and visible for everyone on a global light pollution map generated by the app users. Your data are shared with the Globe At Night Project and the Loss of the Night project. You can view results at http://www.darkskymeter.com (map) and download data from Globeatnight.org. |
| How to get started |
The app is available on the Apple app store. |
| Social Media | |
| Total expense | $1.99 |
| Ideal Age Group | Graduate students, High school (14 - 17 years), Middle school (11 - 13 years), Elementary school (6 - 10 years), Families, Adults, College, Seniors |
| Spend the time | Outdoors |
| Type of Activity | At the beach, At a science center, zoo or aquarium, At home, On a walk, run, On a hike |
| Topics | Computers & Technology, Physics, Health & Medicine, Ecology & Environment, Ocean, Water, Marine & Terrestrial, Education, Nature & Outdoors, Birds, Climate & Weather, Geology & Earth Science, Astronomy & Space |
| Tags | sqm, sky, constellation, stargazing, astronomy, sky quality, star, light, night, pollution |
| Website | Dark Sky Meter |
| Project Entry Updated | Mon Nov 25 16:29:32 2024 +0000 |
Reviews (7)
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Amit Raka 05/13/2021
I-phone user are very less compared to android, i would appreciate if u can make it available to android based mobiles also. i am willing to participate but i am a android user.
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salbury 12/15/2016
i-devices only so it severely limits my ability to do it with my students, the majority of whom have android devices.
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pamela 12/15/2016
This app also tells you what constellations can be seen (as in the brighter ones are visible or not) in the night time sky.
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masterdeepakji 02/08/2016
The app uses the camera of an iphone to measure sky quality, which is a meter for the darkness of the sky. The app correlates the data from thousands of submissions world-wide and places them on a map. We are creating a map of light pollution profiles, a high resolution map.
