SkyCam



The SkyCam project uses an automated camera system to periodically record images of the entire sky from dusk until dawn. These images will be incorporated into other learning projects that include real-time scientific data as dynamic curricular content. It is intended that this will be a resource for instructors that don't have access to astronomical equipment and will provide a richer learning experience for students working with the materials.

Possible topics to be covered include meteorology (cloud cover or haze), detecting transient phenomena (meteors or orbiting satellites), measuring sky brightness (to monitor light pollution), and possibly measuring light curves for brighter variable stars.

An all-sky camera has been installed on the roof of Ladd Observatory at the Department of Physics, Brown University. This project will document the setup, configuration and operation of the camera. It will also show examples of how these images could be used.

The image at the top of this page is an example of dynamic inclusion of content. A computer program automatically uploads a new image and updates the caption each night. Depending on the local weather the image could be overexposed due to thick cloud cover illuminated by city street lights or it might show stars. On rare occasions you might see a meteor. Visit again tomorrow to view a new image.

In all of these images: north is at right, west is at bottom, and the zenith is at center. The image covers a very wide view of the sky. It is similar to what you would see lying on the ground looking straight up.

Resources
Real-time webpages from which this project retrieves data:
 * Ladd Observatory: Sky Camera - Current SkyCam image updated every 5 minutes. (Only during the night, US eastern time zone.)
 * Ladd Observatory: Sky Brightness Monitor - Sky brightness meter graph updated every 2 minutes. (Only during the night, US eastern time zone.)

The data is automatically uploaded by a bot to these pages:

Subpages of this project:

Images files.


 * Wikiversity:File:Mu301test.jpg - see revision history of image file for current test.
 * Commons:File:Mu301test.jpg - see revision history of image file for 2016 test.