A First Quantitative Characterization of Colombian Night Sky Through All-Sky Photometry

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Uchima-Tamayo, J. P., Angeloni, R., Arancibia, M. Jaque, Theran, C. Goez, Restrepo, J. F. Rúa
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866916645722652672
author Uchima-Tamayo, J. P.
Angeloni, R.
Arancibia, M. Jaque
Theran, C. Goez
Restrepo, J. F. Rúa
author_facet Uchima-Tamayo, J. P.
Angeloni, R.
Arancibia, M. Jaque
Theran, C. Goez
Restrepo, J. F. Rúa
contents Light pollution, a rapidly escalating anthropogenic phenomenon driven by the excessive and often inefficient use of artificial lighting, has profound implications for astronomy, ecology, and human health. This study presents the first comprehensive characterization of night sky quality in Colombia, focusing on sites of astronomical and ecological significance. The selected locations include the Astronomical Observatory of UTP, the Tatacoa Desert, the Bogotá Botanical Garden, and Cerro Guadalupe. Utilizing the Sky Quality Camera, we collected all-sky data to measure surface brightness and correlated color temperature of the night sky. Our findings reveal a significant loss of natural sky visibility in urban areas and demonstrate the detrimental effects of artificial lighting on critical astronomical sites such as La Tatacoa. This study provides a crucial foundation for future research and informs the development of public policies aimed at preserving the night sky.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_04937
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A First Quantitative Characterization of Colombian Night Sky Through All-Sky Photometry
Uchima-Tamayo, J. P.
Angeloni, R.
Arancibia, M. Jaque
Theran, C. Goez
Restrepo, J. F. Rúa
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Light pollution, a rapidly escalating anthropogenic phenomenon driven by the excessive and often inefficient use of artificial lighting, has profound implications for astronomy, ecology, and human health. This study presents the first comprehensive characterization of night sky quality in Colombia, focusing on sites of astronomical and ecological significance. The selected locations include the Astronomical Observatory of UTP, the Tatacoa Desert, the Bogotá Botanical Garden, and Cerro Guadalupe. Utilizing the Sky Quality Camera, we collected all-sky data to measure surface brightness and correlated color temperature of the night sky. Our findings reveal a significant loss of natural sky visibility in urban areas and demonstrate the detrimental effects of artificial lighting on critical astronomical sites such as La Tatacoa. This study provides a crucial foundation for future research and informs the development of public policies aimed at preserving the night sky.
title A First Quantitative Characterization of Colombian Night Sky Through All-Sky Photometry
topic Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.04937