Worldwide variations in artificial skyglow

• DOI: 10.1038/srep08409
• Publication Date: 2015-02-12T12:27:23Z
• Authors: Christopher C. M....; Kai Pong Tong; Jonathan Bennie; Ignacio Birriel; Jennifer J. Birriel; Andrew Cool; Arne Danielsen; Thomas W. Davies; Peter N. den Outer; William Edwards; Rainer Ehlert; Fabio Falchi; Jürgen Fischer; Andrea Giacomelli; Francesco Giubbilini; Marty Haaima; Claudia Hesse; Georg Heygster; Franz Hölker; Richard Inger; Linsey J. Jensen; Helga U. Kuechly; John Kuehn; Phil Langill; Dorien E. Lolkema; Matthew Nagy; Miguel Nievas; Nobuaki Ochi; Emil Popow; Thomas Posch; Johannes Puschnig; Thomas Ruhtz; Wim Schmidt; Robert Schwarz; Axel Schwope; Henk Spoelstra; Anthony Tekatch; Mark Trueblood; Constance E. Walker; Michael Weber; Douglas L. Welch; Jaime Zamorano; Kevin J. Gaston
• Keywords: Overcast; Light Pollution; Sky brightness; Artificial Light

Abstract Despite constituting a widespread and significant environmental change, understanding of artificial nighttime skyglow is extremely limited. Until now, published monitoring studies have been local or regional in scope typically short duration. In this first major international compilation data we answer several key questions about properties. Skyglow observed to vary over four orders magnitude, range hundreds times larger than was the case before light. Nearly all study sites were polluted by A non-linear relationship between sky brightness on clear overcast nights, with change behavior near rural urban landuse transition. Overcast skies ranged from third darker almost 18 brighter clear. Clear radiances estimated World Atlas Artificial Night Sky Brightness found be overestimated ~25%; our dataset will play an important role calibration ground truthing future models. Most brightly lit darkened as night progressed, ~5% per hour. The great variation radiance site-to-site changing meteorological conditions underlines need for long-term program.