The image above shows the latest SQM
reading
The
image above shows SQM readings overe the last few hours
Sky Quality Meter
In order to monitor the night sky for potential changes due to light
pollution, measurements of the brightness of the sky over the NamibRand
Nature Reserve are taken. The measurements are automatically made by a
Unihedron Sky Quality Meter, model SQM-LU mounted on the roof of the
Warden’s Office. The meter is connected by a USB connection to a
computer that logs the measurements. The field of view of this
instrument is about 20 degrees Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM). The
units of the measurements are magnitudes per square arcsecond. In this
system, the larger the number is, the darker the sky.
It should be noted that if the Milky Way is in the field of view of the
meter, it will cause the readings to appear low, indicating the sky is
brighter than it actually is. This is especially true when the core of
the Milky Way passes overhead. Another factor that can affect the
reading is the presence of the zodiacal light bridge in the
meter’s field of view.
Sky Quality Meter, by UNIHEDRON on the
roof of the Keerweder office
