"Contribute to a world-wide citizen science project." (The Guardian)
"Find out exactly how bad the light pollution is." (Chandra Clarke, citizensciencecenter.com)
"The app couldn't be easier to use, and you can even learn different constellations along the way." (Nicholas Fordes, plos.org) UPDATE: You can get more information about the project and first results at http://lossofthenight.blogspot.com
Take part in a world-wide citizen science project that measures star visibility and light pollution. Help create a database for research on health, environment and society by telling scientists which stars you can see at your location.
In many parts of the world, the night sky shines with waste artificial light from poorly designed street lamps. This light pollution spoils the beauty of the stars and changes the natural environment.
But light pollution is not only a problem for astronomy. Scientists all over the world are studying how light pollution affects health, society, and the environment. Based on the well-known Google Sky Map, this app is a tool to measure star visibility without expensive equipment. Just look up to the sky, find certain stars, and tell us whether you can see them or not!
Using the Loss of the Night app is fun, educational, promotes citizen science, and is an active contribution to protect the environment.
Stargazing connects you to the universe, especially in places free of light pollution. Find out how many stars you can see, and compare it to other areas on the GLOBE at Night map. Learn about the stars and constellations, and find places where you can still see the Milky Way. If you’re lucky enough to live in such a place, let others know! Counting stars is a great experience and family activity!
Make a change! Most light pollution is caused by bad lamp design, although overly lit areas contribute as well. By finding areas with good lighting design, you will help other communities learn what works. This will keep our bedrooms darker, and the sky full of stars. Proper design also saves energy and money!
Take an active part in science! The Loss of the Night app allows students to measure light pollution and star visibility for their own science projects, and at the same time become part of a global citizen science network. Measurements are sent anonymously to the GLOBE at Night database (www.GLOBEatNight.org), a citizen science project that has monitored light pollution since 2006. GLOBE at Night creates worldwide maps of star visibility and light pollution, which scientists can use to analyse correlations between light pollution and health, biodiversity, life quality, and many more factors.
You are also welcome to get into contact with the light pollution researchers from Verlust der Nacht that built this app, and learn about their other projects (www.verlustdernacht.de). The app provides some basic information on the history, importance, and consequences of artificial light at night.
Use this table to convert the faintest star you saw into an estimate
of how many stars you can see at your location:
magnitude: stars in sky
Sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Germany)