The Effects of Lamp Spectral Distribution on Sky Glow over Observatories

Abstract

Using a wavelength-generalized version of the Garstang (1991) model, we evaluate overhead sky glow as a function of distance up to 300 km, from a variety of lamp types, including common gas discharge lamps and several types of LED lamps. We conclude for both professional, and especially cultural (visual), astronomy, that low-pressure sodium and narrow-spectrum amber LED lamps cause much less sky glow than all broad-spectrum sources.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2015
Accession Number
ADA614539

Entities

People

  • C. B. Luginbuhl
  • D. M. Duriscoe
  • D. R. Davis
  • P. A. Boley

Organizations

  • United States Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Astronomy
  • Discharge Lamps
  • Emission
  • Gas Discharges
  • High Pressure
  • Information Operations
  • Interdisciplinary Science
  • Lamps
  • National Parks
  • Observatories
  • Planetary Sciences
  • Pressure Distribution
  • Short Wavelengths
  • Space Sciences
  • Spectra

Readers

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics.
  • Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).
  • Molecular Photonics/Laser Physics