Saturday, June 20, 2020
Wold Record Light Pollution Monitoring Event, Sunday June 21, 2020
Sunday June 21 is the solstice, when the night is longest. It is also the night of the new Moon and time for a light pollution monitoring ebent.
The event is an attempt to set a world record for light pollution mapping put on by the Australasian Dark Sky Alliance, details here
https://worldrecordlight.thinkific.com/pages/how-to
You will have to register and do a short lesson on magnitude estimation. The all you have to do is go out and look south on the night of the 21st and contribute to our understanding of light pollution and the creeping loss of our magnificent night skies. There may even be a nice ISS pass to enjoy as well.
Even if it is cloudy you can still add to the record. Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.
If you are not sure how to find south, Google maps or any street directory will show you south (or see the chart above, find the Southern Cross and you have found South).
Labels: citizen science, light pollution
Thursday, April 23, 2020
Watch the Southern Cross for Earth Day!
Today is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Of course, I'm late to this. A number of astronomers have suggested that we use today (now tonight) to look up t they sky and esitimate the amount of light pollution that is affecting our world to mark Earth Day.
Globe at Night run Light pollution observing campaigns, all you have to do is go out when the sky is fully dark, look south and count the stars you can see in the Southern Cross, then fill out a report.
It's easy to do, fills in our knowledge of light pollution and connect us with the sky. Hopefully you are not clouded out like I am.
.
Labels: Earth Day, globe at night, light pollution
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Globe at Night Light Pollution Campaign (May 25 - June 3, 2019)
The Globe at Night world light pollution survey runs each year now and are collecting observations during all 12 months of the year. The next survey period is May 25 - June 3 (starting Saturday).
Everyone can be involved, hopefully students and teachers too. Basically, after astronomical twilight (90 minutes after sunset ( best from 9-10 pm) head out, look to the north-west to find Bootes, (if you are in the northern hemisphere) or south to find Crux (for us southern hemisphere types) then check how many stars are visible for Bootes and Crux, and report your observations. It's a great excuse to get outdoors and look at the sky. You might even see the International Space Station.
This year you can submit your results a smart phone or tablet. To do this, you can use the web application at www.globeatnight.org/webapp/. Globe at Night is also on Facebook and Twitter.
There is a pod-cast on light pollution and a powerpoint presentation that explains about light pollution and how to do the sky survey, and special activities for kids. So go on, get out and have a go!
Labels: globe at night, light pollution, public outreach
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Dark Sky Events April 20-29
Dark skies are something we appreciate in the outback, when the full canopy of glittering stars are drawn over us. For those of us in suburbs and cities, the experience of dark skies is becoming rarer and rarer as light pollution encroaches.
International Dark Sky Week is an initiative of the International Dark Sky Association which aims to raise awareness of this issue, and runs from April 20-26 (April 21-27 in Australia). Why not check your local astronomical societies or the local planetariums and see if they are running dark sky events.
There is also the 5th International Earth and Sky Photo Contest on Dark Skies Importance, closing April 22 (April 23 Australia) it is a great opportunity to submit your dark sky images.
At the same time Globe at Night is running another of its global light pollution surveys from April 20 to April 29. This is good time to help find map the extent of light pollution around the world and how it is changing.
It might also be a good time to read this interview with renowned Australian astronomer Fred Watson on taking back the night sky.
As well, although not light pollution related, on April 22 (April 23 in Australia) NASA will be taking a Global Selfie for Earth Day. So get out and get snapping, and send your selfies in to the Global Selfie social media sites.
International Dark Sky Week is an initiative of the International Dark Sky Association which aims to raise awareness of this issue, and runs from April 20-26 (April 21-27 in Australia). Why not check your local astronomical societies or the local planetariums and see if they are running dark sky events.
There is also the 5th International Earth and Sky Photo Contest on Dark Skies Importance, closing April 22 (April 23 Australia) it is a great opportunity to submit your dark sky images.
At the same time Globe at Night is running another of its global light pollution surveys from April 20 to April 29. This is good time to help find map the extent of light pollution around the world and how it is changing.
It might also be a good time to read this interview with renowned Australian astronomer Fred Watson on taking back the night sky.
As well, although not light pollution related, on April 22 (April 23 in Australia) NASA will be taking a Global Selfie for Earth Day. So get out and get snapping, and send your selfies in to the Global Selfie social media sites.
Labels: globe at night, light pollution, public outreach
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Globe at Night Light Pollution Survey for February 19-28, 2014
Northern sky at 10 pm local daylight saving time in Australia showing Orion.Globe at Night, the international light pollution survey, is running its second survey this year from February 19-28.
This year they are running the survey every month!
Visit their new, revamped website for easy to follow instructions and charts to estimate how dark your sky is.
Basically, an hour or so after sunset (8-10 pm) head out, look to the north to find Orion (for everybody) then check how many stars are visible, and report your observations. It's a great excuse to get outdoors and look at the sky. You might even see the International Space Station or an Iridium flare.
You can submit your results via a smart phone or tablet. To do this, you can use the web application at www.globeatnight.org/webapp/. Globe at Night is also on Facebook and Twitter.
Basically, an hour or so after sunset (8-10 pm) head out, look to the north to find Orion (for everybody) then check how many stars are visible, and report your observations. It's a great excuse to get outdoors and look at the sky. You might even see the International Space Station or an Iridium flare.
You can submit your results via a smart phone or tablet. To do this, you can use the web application at www.globeatnight.org/webapp/. Globe at Night is also on Facebook and Twitter.
There is also a whole range of resources and activity guides. There is also a dark sky meter app.
Labels: globe at night, light pollution
Thursday, August 09, 2012
A Plea for Sky Literacy
Venus, Jupiter and Aldebaran in the early morning sky around 6:20 as seen from Adelaide. click to embiggen
Over the past few years there has been a lot of effort
to improve science literacy, the ability to understand the scientific process, given the importance of science to many parts of our lives..
I'd like to make a plea for sky literacy. The
catalyst for this is a recent YouTube video purportedly of the fantasy planet Nibiru.
The author laboriously points out various items as Nibiru, it's sun and a brown
dwarf. Except he's looking at Venus, Jupiter and Aldebaran.
Now, Venus has been mistaken for other objects before,
just this year it was mistaken for a flare and an oncoming aircraft. But it beggars
belief that someone with an interest in finding unknown objects in space, in an
era where there are lots of SmartPhoneapps that will help you find your way about the sky, could mistake our
two brightest planets and the Brightest star in an iconic constellation (Taurus
the Bull) for wayward super-Jupiters.
Okay, he could have been pulling our legs, but sufficient
numbers of other people were also fooled. In weeks past a variety of ordinary astronomical phenomena have been identified as the illusory Nibiru (or some
other planet X), only recently the Pleiades were identified as a mystery planet
and moons.
How did it come to this, where people can no longer
identify iconic parts of the sky? Light pollution plays a part, but in all but
the most light polluted city centres the brightest stars and planets are readily
visible.
Most of us now live largely divorced from our skies.
We lurk inside our houses or flats, drive to and from work in enclosed vehicles,
and if we do see the sky it's a thin slice divorced from context by looming
brick and concrete structures, illuminated within an inch of their lives.
Southern Cross in the early evening southern sky.
We have lost connection with our environment, and with
that our heritage in the sky. Many people have told me that they could not find
the Southern Cross, emblemic of Australia and a key celestial navigation aide, if their lives depended on it.
But knowing
where the bright planets and stars will be in the sky is not just a matter of scientific
knowledge, and their roles in our mythology and history, these things are
beautiful in their own right. We have been slowly cut off from a source of joy
in our world that is simple and completely free.
What do we need to improve sky literacy? I'm going to
make an unusual suggestion, we should encourage people to walk more in the
evenings.
If you are out walking the streets of your suburbs and towns you are
more likely to look up and see the beauty of the sky, the crescent Moon near a
bright planet, the flash of an iridium
flare, the quick burn of a meteor. You don't really need to know the names of these things, if you are out often enough to follow the slow change of the sky over the seasons you will get a feel for what the sky looks like (if you look up).
If people see these things they will be more
likely to inquire about them, and learn at their own pace. As a bonus it will
improve our health to be out walking.
Of course, there's a lot that needs to be done to
encourage walking, there actually has to be decent footpaths for people to walk
on, the streets need to be safe to walk in the evening, the lighting has to be
bright enough for people to walk comfortably, but not so bright that it drowns
out the sky. maybe even the occasional sky watching sign, like the constellation maps our local city council has erected.
But interms of improved health, better social connectedness as walkers meet each other and reconnection with our sky, it is well worth the effort.
And we will be less likely to be subjected to videos of someone mistaking a bright planet for a passing super-Jupiter.
Labels: light pollution, Pseudoscience, science communicators, science matters
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Globe at Night Light Pollution Survey for April 11-20
Southern sky at 8 pm local time in Australia showing Crux.Globe at Night, the international light pollution survey, is running its forth survey this year from April 11-20. Visit their website for easy to follow instructions and charts to estimate how dark your sky is.
Basically, an hour or so after sunset (8-10 pm) head out, look to the north to find Leo, (if you are in the northern hemisphere) or south to find Crux (for us southern hemisphere types) or Orion (for everybody, but it's getting a bit low) then check how many stars are visible, and report your observations. It's a great excuse to get outdoors and look at the sky. You might even see the International Space Station or an Iridium flare.
This year you can submit your results a smart phone or tablet. To do this, you can use the web application at www.globeatnight.org/webapp/. Globe at Night is also on Facebook and Twitter.
Labels: globe at night, light pollution
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Globe at Night Light Pollution Survey for March 13-22
Woops, nearly missed this!
Globe at Night, the international light pollution survey, is running its Third survey this year from March 13-22 (it's US HQ'd that means we Australians/New Zealanders have until the 23rd). There is one more to come on April 11-20. Visit their website for easy to follow instructions and charts to estimate how dark your sky is.
Basically, an hour or so after sunset (8-10 pm) head out, look to the north to find Leo, (if you are in the northern hemisphere) or south to find Crux (for us southern hemisphere types) or Orion (for everybody) then check how many stars are visible, and report your observations. It's a great excuse to get outdoors and look at the sky. You might even see the International Space Station or an Iridium flare.
This year you can submit your results a smart phone or tablet. To do this, you can use the web application at www.globeatnight.org/webapp/. Globe at Night is also on Facebook and Twitter.
Labels: globe at night, light pollution
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Globe at Night Light Pollution Survey for February 12-21
Northern sky at 10 pm local daylight saving time in Australia showing Orion.Globe at Night, the international light pollution survey, is running its second survey this year from February 12-21. There are two more to come March 13-22 and April 11-20. Visit their website for easy to follow instructions and charts to estimate how dark your sky is.
Basically, an hour or so after sunset (8-10 pm) head out, look to the north to find Leo, (if you are in the northern hemisphere) or south to find Crux (for us southern hemisphere types) or Orion (for everybody) then check how many stars are visible, and report your observations. It's a great excuse to get outdoors and look at the sky. You might even see the International Space Station or an Iridium flare.
This year you can submit your results a smart phone or tablet. To do this, you can use the web application at www.globeatnight.org/webapp/. Globe at Night is also on Facebook and Twitter.
Labels: globe at night, light pollution
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Just a Reminder about the Globe at Night Light Pollution Survey
Northern sky at 10 pm local daylight saving time in Australia showing Orion.Globe at Night, the international light pollution survey, is currently running until January 23. The Survey is running four times this year, with January 14-23 followed by February 12-21, March 13-22 and April 11-20. Visit their website for easy to follow instructions and charts to estimate how dark your sky is.
Basically, an hour or so after sunset (8-10 pm) head out, look to the north to find Leo, (if you are in the northern hemisphere) or south to find Crux (for us southern hemisphere types) or Orion (for everybody) then check how many stars are visible, and report your observations. It's a great excuse to get outdoors and look at the sky. You might even see the International Space Station or an Iridium flare.
This year you can submit your results a smart phone or tablet. To do this, you can use the web application at www.globeatnight.org/webapp/. Globe at Night is also on Facebook and Twitter.
Labels: globe at night, light pollution
Monday, January 09, 2012
Globe at Night Starts January 14
Globe at Night, the international light pollution survey, is running four times this year. The first survey is January 14-23 followed by February 12-21, March 13-22 and April 11-20.
You can learn more and get charts and instruction at their website. There is also a 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast: GLOBE at Night Kickoff: Seeing the Light.
You can learn more and get charts and instruction at their website. There is also a 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast: GLOBE at Night Kickoff: Seeing the Light.
Labels: globe at night, light pollution
Monday, February 21, 2011
6th Globe at Night Campaign (Feb. 21 - March 6, 2011)
The evening sky around 10:00 pm daylight saving time in February in Australia.It's now 6 years since the Globe at Night started surveying light pollution around the world. This year the survey is from 21 February to 6 March (starting tonight). Everyone can be involved, hopefully students and teachers too. Basically, an hour after sunset head out, look to the west to find Orion, then check how many stars are visible, and report your observations. It's a great excuse to get outdoors and look at the sky. You might even see the International Space Station or an Iridium flare or NanoSail-D.
This year you can submit your results a smart phone or tablet. To do this, you can use the web application at www.globeatnight.org/webapp/. Globe at Night is also on Facebook and Twitter.
There is a pod-cast on light pollution from 365 days of astronomy and a powerpoint presentation that explains about light pollution and how to do the sky survey, and special activities for kids. So go on, get out and have a go!
Labels: globe at night, light pollution
Thursday, March 11, 2010
I've done my Globe-at-Night Report
Well, I've been virtuous and I've done my Globe-at-Night Report. Mind you, the weather has been awful (those people flooded out in Queensland, or who had their houses/cars trashed in Melbourne may not feel very sympathetic). So far, there are only 3 reports from Australia (including mine), which isn't surprising given the weather we have had. But it's clearing up now, and the survey ends on the 16th, so why not step out and have a look when you can (don't forget to allow some time for your eyes to adjust after coming from indoor lighting).
Labels: light pollution, survey
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Globe at Night Starts Tonight.
Just a reminder that Globe at Night the survey of light pollution around the world (and getting people engaged with the sky)s tarts tonight, running from 3 March to 16 March. All you need to participate is a pair of eyes and the ability to go outside and look up an hour after sunset. Get involved, get the kids involved!
Remember, you will have to let your eyes adapt for about 5 minutes before counting the stars in Orion, so while you waiting, take in the splendour of the sky, and maybe even watch for a satellite.
Remember, you will have to let your eyes adapt for about 5 minutes before counting the stars in Orion, so while you waiting, take in the splendour of the sky, and maybe even watch for a satellite.
Labels: light pollution
Thursday, February 25, 2010
The 5th GLOBE at Night Starts Next Week
The northern sky about 1 hour after sunset in Australia. Rigel and Betelgeuse outline the constellation Orion (click to embiggen). Five years already? It seems like only yesterday the Globe at Night started surveying light pollution around the world. Well, it's on again, from 3 March to 16 March the world wide survey opens. Everyone can be involved, hopefully students and teachers too. Basically, an hour after sunset head out, look to the west to find Orion, then check how many stars are visible, and report your observations. It's a great excuse to get outdoors and look at the sky, see bright red Mars and take out the binoculars to look for Vesta. You might even see the International Space Station or an Iridium flare.
There is a pod-cast and a powerpoint presentation that explains about light pollution and how to do the sky survey, and special activities for kids. So go on, get out and have a go!
Labels: light pollution
Thursday, September 10, 2009
The Results of the Big Aussie Starhunt are Here
The Big Aussie Starhunt is over, and the results are in. First up, the "What constellation would you rename" competition was won by Madison Hunt, who wanted to rename Ara Echidna. Go to the competition website to find out why, and who the Schools winner was. Want to know what the skies around Australia are like, see the results site and find out who your city/town/region compares. Some weod places turn out bright, like Strathalban, way out in the country, had a limiting sky magnitude of 5!
Labels: Astronomy, light pollution
Friday, March 27, 2009
Globe at Night Extended
Globe at Night, a world wide collaboration to get people to look up at the sky and to understand the effects of light pollution, has been extended until March 28, and you can fill in the observing forms until April 7. You participate by observing the constellation Orion, estimating the number of stars you see, and filling in a simple report. You can do this as an individual, organise a star party with friends or get your kids involved.
Saturday March 28 hosts Earth Hour, so this would be a good time to observe for the Globe at Night, to contrast light polluted nights to the special "switch off" night.
Saturday March 28 hosts Earth Hour, so this would be a good time to observe for the Globe at Night, to contrast light polluted nights to the special "switch off" night.
Labels: light pollution, miscelaneous, Observational Astronomy
Friday, March 13, 2009
Globe at Night Starts Next Monday
Globe at Night, a world wide collaboration to get people to look up at the sky and to understand the effects of light pollution, is about to start its 2009 campaign.
From March 16 to March 23 you can participate by observing the constellation Orion, estimating the number of stars you see, and filling in a simple report. You can do this as an individual, organise a star party with friends, get your kids involved or maybe get your local school involved.
However you do it, sometime between 16 and 23 March, Look UP!
From March 16 to March 23 you can participate by observing the constellation Orion, estimating the number of stars you see, and filling in a simple report. You can do this as an individual, organise a star party with friends, get your kids involved or maybe get your local school involved.
However you do it, sometime between 16 and 23 March, Look UP!
Labels: International Year of Astronomy, light pollution, Observational Astronomy
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Don't Forget the great World Wide Star Count
The Great World Wide Star Count is open until November 3. So far there are only two entries from Australia up. So when you go out to watch the antics of Venus and The Moon over the next few nights, take a moment to look at Sagittarius and report to the star count folks.
Labels: light pollution, sky phenomena
Friday, June 15, 2007
Globe at Night analysis in
The final analysis of the Globe at night project is in. Globe at Night is the world wide project to determine the extent of light pollution, some of you may have contributed to the survey, so pop on over and have a look, you can compare the 2006 to the 2007 data as well.
Labels: light pollution, survey
Click to read about or order
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Click to read about or order
Click to read about or order
