Fancy one of these? The 'Sky Quality Meter'

Hi All, just got this from another forum, good idea & practical too

We wish to announce the availability of a reasonably-priced,
handheld meter for measuring the brightness of the zenith
sky at night. This meter displays the surface brightness
of the sky in visual magnitudes per square arcsec and can
be used at even the darkest sites to obtain precise
measurements. It is ideal for light pollution studies and
site selection.

Use of the "Sky Quality Meter" is simple - point it at the
zenith, push the single button once, and the sky surface
brightness appears on the LED display.

The "Sky Quality Meter" contains a very sensitive, solid-state
light sensor which is interfaced with a micro-controller
and temperature sensor to correct for temperature-induced
changes to the micro-controller oscillator and the sensor
dark current. An infrared blocking filter restricts the
sensitivity of the device to the visual bandpass. The meter
is designed for long battery life and automatically shuts
itself off after making a measurement.

For additional features and ordering information please
visit the webpage:
www.unihedron.com/projects/darksky/
A mailing list has been formed for SQM users.

Individual units sell for US$79.99 plus shipping.
(A 9V battery *is* included!)

Keith..

Individual units sell for US$79.99 plus shipping.
(A 9V battery *is* included!)

Bah...

For only $20 I can sell you a box with the word "Cloudy" printed on it.
A 9V battery, not included.


Anyway, from their docs :

Therefore large
changes in sky brightness correspond to
relatively small numerical changes.

That sounds backwards. I would want a small change in brightness to be more obvious. light cirrus cloud would presumably not render much of a differerence to the number.
[code:1]
Typical Readings
mags Description
18 Bright moonlight or urban clear sky.
20-22 Moonless, clear country night sky.
21-23 Moonless, overcast country night sky.[/code:1]

So 21-22 means either clear or overcast?


Cheers,
~Al

Mmmm, funny that : I'm more confused now :lol:
Don't think i'lll but one, we've enough bloody cloudy nights anyway
Keith..

You could always look up........I have two light gathering devices in my cranium and a processing unit behind them....This allows me to tell if its cloudy or clear, or even if there is a moon present....

Wow, me too :shock:

Keith..

You could always look up........I have two light gathering devices in my cranium and a processing unit behind them....This allows me to tell if its cloudy or clear, or even if there is a moon present....

I'll give you €79.99 for one of those light gathering devices of yours. I'll let you keep the other!
Thanks!