Light & Engineering 26 (1)

Volume 26
Date of publication 03/30/2018
Pages 127-130

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Night Sky Background Brightness Estimation by the Example of the St. Petersburg City. L&E 26 (1) 2018

Articles authors:

Svetlana V. Kolgushkina, Viktor T. Prokopenko, Svetlana V. Roslyakova

Svetlana V. Kolgushkina, Master of Engineering and Technology in Electronics and Nanoelectronics, Theoretical and Applied Lighting Engineering. She graduated from NIU MPEI in 2012. Postgraduate student of ITMO University (Saint Petersburg, Russia)

Viktor T. Prokopenko, Prof., Dr. of Technical Sciences Honourable Science Worker of Russia, Professor of the Lighting Technology and Optoelectronics sub-department of the ITMO University. Graduated from the V.I. Ulyanov (Lenin) LETI State Electrotechnical University in 1963 with specialty in Dielectrics and Semi-Conductors

Svetlana V. Roslyakova, Ph. D. She graduated from the National Research University “MPEI” in 2012 with a degree in Theoretical and Applied Light and Engineering, assistant and engineer at the Institute of Design and Urbanism of ITMO University

Abstract

Within the big city boundaries, artificial component of the sky glow increases every year. The main reasons are the expansion of the cities, the rapid growth of technical capabilities, inefficient lighting design without master-planning and lack of quality control of lighting projects. The data of astronomical observations confirm a significant brightness increasing in the lower atmosphere due to factors of terrestrial origin. The problem is mostly acute for observatories are located near major cities, which are struggling for the possibility of further research. Night sky background glow estimation is an actual direction for research in the modern world. The paper considers a model for calculating the sky brightness for the St. Petersburg city. According to the developed model observation position is located near the Pulkovo Observatory. The model is based on the Garstang’s method with use of Python programming language.

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