Globe at Night

Globe at Night Citizen Science Campaign

Join the Globe at Night campaign and help us map the impact of light pollution in New Zealand which will helps us understand and manage the issue of light pollution both in New Zealand and globally.

All you need is a smart phone (tablet or computer) to measure and submit night sky brightness observations from wherever you are. Readings from locations experiencing light pollution are particularly encouraged.

Your contribution plays an important role in the fight against light pollution providing scientists with much larger and more diverse data sets that might have otherwise been unachievable.

For New Zealand, we’d like to focus on the Southern Cross (circumpolar constellationCrux which is always in the New Zealand night sky).

How to Participate:

  • During the campaign dates, go outside on a clear night more than an hour after sunset and let your eyes adjust to the dark (at least 10 minutes).

  • Find the constellation you are reporting on – Orion and Southern Cross are the two best known and easy to identify constellations in New Zealand. Many smartphone apps or programs can help you locate it if you are unsure where it is.

  • The 3-minute video below will show you how to go to the Globe at Night report page (making sure you are in nighttime mode), choose the star chart that most closely matches what you see in the sky, Select the amount of cloud cover at the time of your observation and submit your data

https://vimeo.com/user154165690/gan-rasnz Password: GAN


Why we collect this data

  • Another 3-minute video explains why we collect this data and how valuable your contribution is.

https://vimeo.com/user154165690/whycollectdata Password: GAN

RASNZ Contacts:

Nalayini Davies: nbrito@vinstar.co.nz

Raul Elias-Drago: vice.president@rasnz.org.nz


Globe at Night: https://www.globeatnight.org/

More detailed instructions: https://www.globeatnight.org/6-steps.php