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(meteorobs) Fwd: Project to fight light pollution

An interestion naked-eye/binocular observing project!

Sorry for the late forward on this - it somehow got
lost in my Inbox, hard as that is to imagine. :)

For those of us who are used to estimating Limiting
Magnitudes in the course of regular observing (e.g.,
with the IMO Star Count charts), that data may also
be useful to log on these forms, for "calibration".

Here's the Website that this message comes from:
http://www.astroleague.org/al/astrnote/astnot08.html

Clear skies,
Lew Gramer



-----Original Message-----

   Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2004 17:25:03 -0500
   From: SUSAN ROSE <...>
Subject: Winter Project


This is from the Astronomical League website, but is not an AL project.


Astro Note 8:
Winter Star Watching Project - Pleiades


This project is undertaken to assist International Dark-Sky Association.
IDA, in turn, is cooperating with the Environmental Protection Agency in
Japan to determine the extent of light pollution around the world.



Besides getting people to look up at the night sky, there are several
purposes behind this program: First is to get measurements of the amount
of sky brightness at many locations. Second is to build awareness to a
wide audience of the problems of light pollution. Third is to get some
measure of air pollution and develop awareness of this issue also.


When do we watch?

Any time during the months of February and March. Do it yourself or hold
a Star Watching Party during these dates. There is no limitation to who
may join, how many participate in any one location or how many such
parties are held. Observations are best done on a moonless night,
without
fog or clouds or more than average amount of haze or smog. The best time
is one and a half hours after sunset when the Pleiades is high in the
sky.


What do we watch?
  a. The Pleiades, a star cluster in our own galaxy.
  b. The Milky Way, the unresolved mass of faint stars in our galaxy.

How do we watch?
  a. First, we watch with our naked eye. Can you see the Milky Way in
Perseus? In Gemini? In Monoceros? Refer to star maps in Sky & Telescope
or Astronomy magazines or such for sky locations. Write down what you
see on the data sheet. You are free to make copies.

  b. Then, count the number of stars you see in the Pleiades, first
with your naked eye and then with binoculars. How many stars can you
see within the area of the chart. This is not a test of eyesight, but
of how faint the average person can see in the sky conditions of your
location. Write down what you see on the data sheet. Note the other
information that is requested on the data sheet as well.

  c. For those with cameras and an interest in photography, you can
also send in photographic observations. These are the requirements:
a 35mm camera with a lens of 50mm focal length and an f/ stop of 4,
a color slide film with an ISO 400; one exposure each of 80, 150
and 300 seconds (use a tripod, no guiding is necessary); center the
Pleiades in the field; have the film processes by any photo shop
that has Kodak standard processing. Send in the slides with your
data sheet.

Return completed form to: International Dark-Sky Association, Inc.,
3225 N. First Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719-2103.

You can visit their website at www.darksky.org



International Dark-Sky Association
Winter Observing Project Report Form.
Date: _______________________
Local Time: _______________________ to ______________________

Name: ____________________________________________________
Age: ________
Sex: M   F      Eyesight: _________________

Occupation: ________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________

         __________________________________________________

Place of observation (be as specific as possible, identifying by
street intersections, mileage from known point, etc. Example:
North edge of my backyard at 1234 Main St, Any town, US):

_________________________________________________________

Comments on the location (Example: "Only one streetlight within 200
yards and it is shielded by trees"):

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________


Comments on sky condition (Examples: Light clouds to north, some
haze but normal for this location.):

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________


Experience of observer (Examples: First time I ever looked up at
night. Active amateur astronomer.) Please note if you use averted
vision:  ______________________________________________________

Record of the observation:

1. I can see the Milky Way in:
   a.   Perseus     b.   Gemini     c. Monoceros     d.   Not at all

2. Binocular specifications (Example: 8 x 50, 7 x 50, or 10 x 70):

       spec.:__________________________________
       Make of binoculars: __________________________________


3.   Two charts of the Pleiades are given below. Fill in the circle or
mark with an X the stars you can see with certainty, first with your
naked eyes and then with binoculars.


[See Web page at URL above for these two charts...]



4.   Number of slides included: ______
     (Label with your name and the exposure!)


 Camera used	______________________________


 Lens:		______________________________


 Film:		______________________________



Sign if you permit us to publish the photographs, if needed:

_________________________________________









      Naked Eye
     Binoculars




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