Sky Quality Meter - SQM-LU-DL

$287.00
Article number: SQM-LU-DL
Availability: More on the Way to us
Delivery time: More on the Way to us

A USB enabled data-logging light meter for night-time sky brightness monitoring!

An affordable meter for continual, connected or autonomous data-logging to measure sky brightness for astronomers and light pollution investigators.

The "Sky Quality Meter - LU-DL" (SQM-LU-DL) measures the brightness of the night sky in magnitudes per square arcsecond.

Designed by Dr. Doug Welch and Anthony Tekatch


Uses:
  • Measuring the night sky brightness during remote biological field experiments.
  • Find out how good the night or site REALLY is.
  • Compare the sky brightness at different sites quantitatively.
  • Document the evolution of light pollution in your area.
  • Set planetarium dome illumination to mimic the skies people are likely to experience elsewhere in the city.
  • Monitor sky brightness through the night, night-to-night, and year-to-year.
  • Determine which nights show the greatest promise for finding the 'faintest fuzzies'!
  • Calibrate the effect of sky brightness on qualitative measures such as the Bortle Scale.
  • Investigate how sky brightness correlates with the solar cycle and month-to-month sunspot activity.
  • Help provide local ground truth for future sky brightness prediction with the Clear Sky Clock.
  • CCD users can make a correlation between the SQM reading and when the background reaches some ADC level.

SQM-LU-DL control panel

Features:

  • Sky brightness reported in visual magnitudes per square arcsecond.
  • Infrared blocking filter restricts measurement to visual bandpass.
  • Sensor temperature, model number, and serial number are provided.
  • Precision readings at even the darkest sites.
  • Field-upgradeable firmware.
  • Open protocol document.

 

Specifications:

  • USB connectivity
  • Included applications for reading data in Perl.
  • The Half Width Half Maximum (HWHM) of the angular sensitivity is ~10°. The Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM) is then ~20°. The sensitivity to a point source ~19° off-axis is a factor of 10 lower than on-axis. A point source ~20° and ~40° off-axis would register 3.0 and 5.0 magnitudes fainter, respectively.
  • Size 5.5 x 2.6 x 1.1 in.
  • Maximum light sampling time: 80 seconds.
  • Minimum light sampling time: 1 seconds.
  • Specifications are subject to change without notice.

What you get:

  • SQM-LU-DL unit
  • SQM-LU-DL users manual
  • CD with PDF manual and example software
  • 15ft USB cable
  • Battery-to-USB adapter with 6 AA cells and battery holder
  • Calibration sheet indicates unit USB serial number, and calibration value


Price $249.99US plus Shipping & Handling.

What you get (with housing):

  • SQM-LU-DL unit
  • SQM-LU-DL users manual
  • CD with PDF manual and example software
  • 15ft USB cable
  • Battery-to-USB adapter with 6 AA cells and battery holder
  • Calibration sheet indicates unit USB serial number, and calibration values
  • Weatherproof housing


Price $289.94US plus Shipping & Handling.

Details: Software Downloads: Reports including the SQM: eprints.ucm.es/12262/ Light pollution maps / databases: Useful Light pollution links: USB information:
Unihedron supports the goals of the International Dark-Sky Association.

SQM-LU-DL tripod adaptor option


Example

This adaptor kit was designed specifically for the SQM-LU-DL meter which is longer than our other meters.

The adaptor screws into the back of the SQM-LU-DL and allows the meter to be mounted on a tripod with a 1/4-20 thread.

The kit includes one tripod adaptor, 3D-printed plastic, and two longer screws (to replace two short screws already in the meter) 3D part view.

Note: The built in compass on the SQM-LU-DL-V (Vector meter) is very sensitive to hard and soft iron. You may notice variations in the Azimuth (compass reading) while mounted to a metal tripod. Also, brass screws (that come with the SQM-LU-DL-V-battery holder) must be used to secure the adaptor to the SQM-LU-DL-V.


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