Lab 2
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School
University of Alabama, Birmingham *
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Course
112
Subject
Geography
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
6
Uploaded by ChancellorMouse3890
SQM Measurement Lab
1. Use your favorite online mapping engine, e.g., Google Maps, to center on your assigned street
chosen city blocks. Zoom in on block until it spans your screen. Take a screen capture. Paste it
below.
2. Now create a label for four locations where you will take data collection measurements based
on their compass directions (e.g., Location 1: most north, Location 2: mid north, Location 3: mid
south, Location 4: most south). For example, in Google Maps, north is typically at the top of the
screen.
3. What SQM measurements do you predict you will measure for these locations? Use
https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/
to support your prediction. (Zoom into the city
street/block and then hover your mouse over the span of the block/street.)
SQM Prediction for Location 1: [17.82 mag]
SQM Prediction for Location 2: [17.82 mag]
SQM Prediction for Location 3: [17.82 mag]
SQM Prediction for Location 4: [17.82 mag]
Characterizing your location (Complete during the day at your location)
In your own words and with photos, describe each location using the pre-formatted lists below.
First,
write your label for the edge. Then, for each block...
1. Create and paste two or more pictures of the location
2. Describe in a few sentences what you see around the block, for example, houses,
restaurants, parks, etc.
3. Describe the light fixtures you see on this block. Are they mostly street lights? Are they
mostly lights on homes or businesses? Both? Are the majority of lights shielded or
unshielded?
4. Identify a location on this block where you will collect a light pollution measurement.
The location should be as far as possible away from lamps or other bright light sources.
The area between poles on a city street is not normally large enough to allow taking
accurate SQM observations, so in urban areas, try to find the spot furthest from fixtures.
Take one or more pictures of this location and mark it on your map. The pictures should
make it clear to a future student from where you will take the measurement, so it could
be useful to place a marker (such as a book or water bottle) on the location before
taking the picture(s).
5. Take one or more pictures from the location looking outward. Again, this is to support
future students’ ability to compare their measurements against yours.
Location 1: Most North
1.
2. [In Location 1, there is a parking deck and a light post. You can also see part of Blount Hall.]
3. [Most of the light fixtures are light poles along with some light seen from the dorm with
majority of the lights unshielded]
4. [Enter response]
5. [Enter response]
Location 2: East
1. [Enter response]
2. [In Location 2 there is a Papa Johns]
3. [There are lit up signs that are shielded coming from the Papa Johns store]
4. [Enter response]
5. [Enter response]
Location 3: South
1. [Enter response]
2. [In Location 3 there is a Chevron gas station and in the distance is the UAB police station ]
3. [There are unshielded light posts that do not work long with neon and regular signs from the
gas station]
4. [Enter response]
5. [Enter response]
Location 4: West
1. [Enter response]
2. [In Location 4 there are parking lots with UAB Highlands Hospital in the background]
3. [In this location there are light poles and stoplights plus the gas station sign that belongs to
Chevron]
4. [Enter response]
5. [Enter response]
Finally, paste a screenshot of your map with..
- the city blocks labeled with their compass direction
- the estimated locations of where you will take the SQM measurements
Taking Light Pollution Measurements (to be completed on a clear, moonless night during the
campaign dates described in Canvas)
Location 1: [North]
1. [17.36]
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2. [17.33]
3. [17.33]
4. [17.32]
Average of the four measurements: [17.335]
Submit the average of your four measurements for this location to the Globe at Night campaign:
https://www.globeatnight.org/webapp/
Make sure to enter your SQM reading and Serial Number.
Location 2: [East]
1. [16.81]
2. [16.83]
3. [16.81]
4. [16.83]
Average of the four measurements: [16.82]
Submit the average of your four measurements for this location to the Globe at Night campaign:
https://www.globeatnight.org/webapp/
Make sure to enter your SQM reading and Serial Number.
Location 3: [South]
1. [19.03]
2. [19.05]
3. [19.03]
4. [19.03]
Average of the four measurements: [19.03]
Submit the average of your four measurements for this location to the Globe at Night campaign:
https://www.globeatnight.org/webapp/
Make sure to enter your SQM reading and Serial Number.
Location 4: [Enter response]
1. [17.34]
2. [17.31]
3. [17.32]
4. [17.32]
Average of the four measurements: [17.32]
Submit the average of your four measurements for this location to the Globe at Night campaign:
https://www.globeatnight.org/webapp/
Make sure to enter your SQM reading and Serial Number.
IMPORTANT: If you had to change your observation locations to garner consistent
measurements in each direction, take photos of the new viewing location and a new screenshot of
your map with your updated observation location(s) marked below.
[Paste responses]
Wrap-Up
1. How did your predictions of your SQM measurements in the Preparing your Analysis portion
of this lab compare to your actual SQM measurements?
I used the light pollution map to see what the SQM measurements actually were, but because I
had to change locations due to all of the surrounding lights affecting my readings. Even though I
had to change locations, my predictions were not that far off from what the SQM reader
displayed.
2. What do you think caused any discrepancies?
I do not think that there were any big discrepancies besides me changing locations. The biggest
reason I had to change locations were the light poles and surrounding businesses’ light pollution
interfering with my readings. I chose my predictions based on the number of light poles and
signs on our chosen area, which seemed like a lot more when I actually had to focus on them.
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