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Hines Middle School Explores Dark Skies

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Hines Middle School Explores Dark Skies

Written by Janelle Wicks, FOMR Director with content from Michael McKeag, DarkSky Oregon
Photo of Burns/Hines light footprint (left) and Milky Way as seen from 72 miles SW within the recently designated Oregon Outback Dark Sky Sanctuary. Taken by Michael McKeag, DarkSky Oregon 

DarkSky Oregon is on a mission to quantitatively measure, interpret, and share skyglow measurements in Oregon to better understand the current level of light pollution in comparison to other regions and to document any changes over a five-year period. What is skyglow, you may be asking yourself. Skyglow is the glowing sky at night as a result of both artificial or man-made light and natural light. 

This data is being collected by a network of continuously recording Sky Quality Meters (SQMs) across Oregon. DarkSKy Oregon aims to have at least one SQM in each county of Oregon with the ultimate goal of colling date that will help to inform action toward healthier and safer communities with less light pollution. 

Harney County just got its 4th SQM up and running thanks to coordination between DarkSky Oregon, Friends of Malheur NWR, and Hines Middle School Science Teacher Katie Sorenson. 

Katie installed the SQM with her students last month and is working with them to craft and answer big questions about the night sky, light pollution, and the importance of preserving dark skies for wildlife and people. They did their first download of data from the reader on October 17th from the preceding night. On the night of 16-17 October the moon was waxing, reaching full at 04:25 on 17 October. 

The red curve is the zenith sky brightness measured by the meter. The black curve is the moon elevation angle. The yellow curve is the sun elevation angle. 
 
The cyan vertical lines mark sunset and sunrise (sun elevation angle 0). The next vertical lines inward mark the end of civil dusk and start of civil dawn (sun elevation -6 degrees), next lines inward, the end of nautical dusk and start of nautical dawn (sun elevation -12 degrees), and the next lines inward, the end of astronomical dusk and start of astronomical dawn (sun elevation -18 degrees). 
 
The increase in sky brightness from 21:05 – 23:45 may be the moon rising over the school building. The meter may be in the moon shadow cast by the school building. Students could test this theory by measuring the elevation angle of the building, viewed from the position of the meter.
 
It was cloudy that night so the jaggedness of the sky brightness plot is due to clouds. The clouds were backlit by the moon, and lit from below by uplight from Burns. The cloud thickness overhead was continuously varying. On a clear sky night the plot will be a smooth curve.
 
The next state-wide data download fortnight is happening now from 26 October- 10 November. During this window, every SQM across the state will download a reading like the one above thus contributing to a statewide view of the night sky. Of particular interest with this new SQM at Hines MS will be comparing the date with that from the SQMs at Malheur Field Station, Alvord Desert, and Catlow Valley.

 

Michael McKeag has generously volunteered his time and expertise to conduct a deeper inventory of Malheur NWR’s lighting fixtures using a technique that will produce a GSI map of fixtures, their functionality, their DarkSky compliance, and recommendations for replacement fixtures where needed. This information will also inform FOMR as to where they may install up to two additional SQMs and how to expand DarkSky outreach and education in Harney County. This work is being supported by the National Wildlife Refuge’s O’Brian Prize and donors like YOU! 

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