Light Pollution Spanish REECL SQM Network

Abstract

The SQM network of the Spanish Light Pollution Research collaboration (http://guaix.fis.ucm.es/splpr/SQM-REECL) is growing with the help of amateur astronomers and interested citizens. Up to now there are 18 stations. SQM photometers provide measures of the night sky brightness every night using the PySQM software. The analysis of the data provided by the photometers allows the researchers to monitor the nightly, monthly and yearly evolution of the NSB and the relationship with sources of light pollution in intensity and distance. The photometers that are measuring in protected areas will alarm the researchers about eventual increasing of light pollution that could affect the environment. Using models of light dispersion on the atmosphere one can determine which light pollution sources are increasing the sky brightness at different places and in which extension. Networks of fixed photometers acquiring data every night are one of the main inputs to test these models.The collaborative effort of many people (citizen science) pro-vides the necessary data to derive scientific results.La red de monitorización de brillo de cielo nocturno de la red Española de Estudios sobre contaminación lumínica (REECL) está creciendo con la ayuda de astrónomos aficionados y ciudadanos interesados. hasta ahora dispone de 18 estaciones.

Los fotómetros SQM proporcionan medidas del brillo de cielo nocturno (NSB) usando el software PySQM. El análisis de los datos permite monitorizar la evolución temporal del NSB y su relación con las fuentes de contaminación lumínica.