The Great World Wide Star Count
November 2010 :
Note: This article may contain outdated information
This article was published in the November 2010 issue of The Skyscraper and likely contains some information that was pertinent only for that month. It is being provided here for historical reference only.
Last March, I participated in the 2010 GLOBE at Night Campaign,
sponsored by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research and the
National Center for Atmospheric Research (UCAR and NCAR). Globe at
Night is a citizen-based project designed to help scientists around the
world map light pollution.
The process was simple. I observed Orion and compared what I saw with a
set of charts showing Orion’s appearance at magnitude limits between 1
and 7. I emailed my finding (I got a magnitude limit of 5) to the Globe
at Night website. Mine was one of 17,805 observations forwarded by
individuals from 86 countries. The results, plus an overview of the
Globe at Night Campaign can be found at www.globeatnight.org.
If you missed the 2010 Globe at Night Campaign, you’ll get another
chance. Through the auspices of UCAR and NCAR, the National Earth
Science Teachers Association will conduct the Great World Wide Star
Count from October 29 to November 12. The format is the same as that of
the Globe at Night Campaign. This time, Cygnus will serve as the light
pollution barometer. The Great World Wide Star Count offers the backyard
astronomer an opportunity to add some ammunition to the war on light
pollution. Not only is this a worthwhile project for the individual; it
makes a fine activity for teachers who want their students to learn
about the night sky while involving them in science research. To find
out more about this project and how to participate, go to www.windows2universe.org/citizen_science/starcount/. By the way, the Windows to the Universe website is a valuable resource for educators. Check it out!
Your comments on this column are welcome. E-mail me at gchaple@hotmail.com.
