Palomar Observatory Night Sky Brightness Program
Part 2
Approach
Dan McKenna Palomar Observatory
WRCOG is seeking input
•  4publictransitbasednighttours(Bus)
•  Governments,Public,andAgenciesinvited
•  Tourincludesasurveytorateeachstop,9
streetscenestotal
•  LEDsunder3,000Kandsomebluesuppressed
•  PalomarworkedwithWRCOGandLighKng
engineers
LED Spectra
Oceanside California
•  MixtureofresidenKal,lightindustry,military,
andrecreaKon.
•  Discoveredthatdimmingstreetlightssaves
money
•  Willallowreasonableexperimentstobe
performedwithstreetlights
Photomapping in RAW mode
Oceanside Streetlight map
Commercial Vs Residence
Role of Palomar Observatory
•  PalomarObservatoryisanIconofU.S.scienceand
industry
•  Newdetectortechnologyproducessurveys100’sof
KmesmoreproducKvethanwithphotographic
plates
•  PartnershipsconKnuetodevelopcuVngedge
programs
•  ObservatoryOutreachandDocentOrganizaKon
effecKveincommunicaKngtheimportanceof
astronomyandPalomartothepublic
ThenoKonofyourteam
WesuggestthatPalomarObservatorycompeteson
aninternaKonallevelinAstronomyandnotonly
representstheU.S.butallinvolvedwithourefforts.
CooperaKonintheefforttoreduceskybrightness
makesforalargerpartnershipandfostersinterest
andsupportfromCiKesandthePublic.Palomar
thenbecomes"TheTeam"thatplaysforthe
supporters.
Lessons learned
•  PercepKonofbrightnessisnon-linearyet
thinkingis.Skybrightnessisbe[erreceivedin
linearunitssuchasbrightnessrelaKvetoa
prisKnesky.
•  Citymanagersandgovernmentofficialsare
morerecepKvetomeasurementsthantheory
andnotallareimpressedbythefitto
theoreKcalmodels.
•  Thepublicdoesnotalwayswantchangeand
someprefersodiumvaporasitiswhatthey
know.
•  Mostinterviewedhaveexperiencedcarsat
nightthathavetheultrablueheadlightsand
feelthatblueisbadatnight
•  Streetlightsarebutonlyapartofthe
nightscape,commercialandrecreaKonlighKng
haveasignificantskyglowcomponent
•  ThetermLightpolluKonseemstobepolarizing
andarKficialnightskyglowisali[lebe[er
Closing Thoughts
•  YoungergeneraKonsmaynotcareaboutwhatthey
neverexperienced.(darksky)
•  WeurgetheadopKonofaggressivecutoffangles,
lowcolortemperature,bluesuppressed,dimmable
lighKng
•  Centrallycontrolled,dimmablelighKngallowsciKes
toenhancesafetybyusinglightbrightnesstosignal
safetyconcernssuchasdetours,trafficjams,amber
alertsandevacuaKonroutes
•  Diminglightssavesmoneyandmaintenance.Icallit
the“MoneyKnob”
Law enforcement and commercial
security
Itisthechangeoflightlevelthatgetspeoples
a[enKon.Dimminglightscreatestheabilityto
brightenascenewhenneededandthatwill
causepeopleintheareatochangetheir
awareness.ThismaybeeffecKveincombinaKon
withmoKonsensingsothatanarealikeacarlot
mayacceptoperaKngatanaveragelowernight
brightnesslevel.
Mood lighting
Propertyvaluesmaybeinfluencedbythe
appearanceofanareaatnight.Lowercolor
temperatures,controlledbeampa[ernscanbe
combinedtoenhancethenightappearanceand
desirabilityofrealestateand,enhancethe
a[racKvenessofstorefrontlightning.