AstMon-UCM (All Sky Transmission MONitor) is an all-sky camera devoted to measure the astronomical quelity of the night sky. This device belongs to the astronomical observatory of the UCM (Observatorio UCM) on top of the Physics building. Images in B, V and R bands of the Johnson system taken by AstMon-UCM are used to determine atmospheric extinction and to map the night sky brightness.
Instrument description
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Recording light pollution in Madrid
Located at UCM Observatory
AstMON-UCM is located on top of the Facultad de Ciencias Físicas of Universidad Complutense de Madrid. It is the first device of its type installed in an urban observatory and it is useful to study the effects of Light Pollution on the night sky brightness.
AstMON-UCM light pollution
AstMon-UCM can be used for both research and creativity. The following image was obtained from three images taken with filters B, V and R filters.
These images were combined with Iris software in one BGR image and a panoramic view was generated using the fisheye tool. The image allows to identify the main light pollution sources that affect the instrument.
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Different results along the night and depending on weather
All-sky cameras to study light pollution
- AstMon Calar Alto.
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- VLT Instrumentation: MASCOT – Mini AllSky Cloud Observation Tool – ESO
- La Silla – AllSky Camera – ESO
- MMTO SkyCam – The Smithsonian Institute & University of Arizona
- Fred Bruenjes Astronomy – Moonglow Observatory (Warrensburg, Missouri) – AllSky Camera
- Special Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) – Russian Academy of Sciences Institution – AllSky TV Camera
- Paul Beskeen Astrophotography – Bourn, Cambridgeshire, UK – AllSky Camera
- IRF Swedish Institute of Space Physics – Kiruna AllSky Camera
- Sodankyl Geophysical Observatory – University of Oulu – Real time AllSky Camera
- Bayfordbury AllSky Camera
- Institute of Astronomy – University of Cambridge – AllSky Camera
- Kjell Henriksen Observatory (KHO) – Seasonal Auroral Observation with AllSky
Recent news about this research line
Check our publications
The study of light pollution is one of the most innovative research topics. Our group has published several papers with the greatest impact on the Altmetric index worldwide.
Contact
Professor Jaime Zamorano:
jzamorano@fis.ucm.es
Location:
Facultad de Ciencias Físicas UCM
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