UKAI Sky Quality Register

[SAI]

In another topic (here) we discussed making our own website for recording sky quality.

This has now been done.  However, it needs testing thoroughly and to do this we need your help.

The web address for the site is:
http://ukai.astrowebsites.co.uk/

There's a few bits to finish off but the main thing is to get as much data in the database as possible so I can continue developing the reporting side of the site.

The recording of sky quality will be an ongoing project throughout the whole year.  At the moment, the magnitude charts are for Orion but this, eventually, will automatically change depending on the time of the year.

Ideally, I would like everyone to revisit the site every month to record the sky quality in your area so we can see if there is any change, good or bad.

The site can also be used to record camping and/or caravan sites.  The reporting for these sites has not been writen yet.

Your comments are appreciated.

Cheers

Simon

[Hoohoo]

Very good site, soo user-friendly.
You have done a great job with that, keep it up.

Kim

[rob uk]

simon do you want me to add a button for this to the forum.?

[SAI]

Yes please.  Could do with more people trying it out so anything you can do to help will be appriciated.

Cheers

Simon

[rob uk]

ok done now in the main menu at left

[SAI]

That did the trick!  Got three more submissions already!!! 

Cheers

Simon

[swashy]

make that 4 

[mcrossley]

I must figure out what my limiting magnitude at home is, but in the meantime, I think that Orion is now too low to use as a star count exercise. Should we come up with a star count area for each season?

[SAI]

Cheers Ade.

I'm currently in the process of updating the site so it will automatically pick out the best constellation to use for counting stars and calculating the magnitude level depending on the season.
At the moment it's set to the 'Big Dipper' part of Ursa Major but if anyone has a better constellation in mind for this time of year, please let me know.
I could do with some suggestions for one in the summer and one in the autumn as well.

Simon

[clarkpm4242]

Cheers Ade.

I'm currently in the process of updating the site so it will automatically pick out the best constellation to use for counting stars and calculating the magnitude level depending on the season.
At the moment it's set to the 'Big Dipper' part of Ursa Major but if anyone has a better constellation in mind for this time of year, please let me know.
I could do with some suggestions for one in the summer and one in the autumn as well.

Simon

Ursa Minor may be better as it go to about mag 5.
Cheers

Paul

[twinsen]

Arent those constelations around all year anyways as they are close to polaris.

[SAI]

Arent those constelations around all year anyways as they are close to polaris.

The constellations need to be nice and easy to make out for ordinary folk.

The Orion constellation is a nice easy one for people to pick out in the winter and easy to gauge the magnitude by a star count.

Ursa Major, or rather the Big Dipper, is easy to pick out but not so easy to gauge the magnitude from its stars.

It's easy to pick a constellation that's visible all year round but it needs to be one that can be picked out easily by people who don't necessarily know the constellations and one that can easily gauge the magnitude by way of a star count.

Ursa Minor may be better as it go to about mag 5.

Ursa Minor is a nice idea but I think the big dipper asterism is easier to spot and maybe has a more varied selection of stars at different magnitudes as the stars in the 'saucepan' can be included in the count as well.  Unless someone disagrees with me?

Cheers

Simon

[swashy]

BUMP    while Orion is still just visible

Looking Good Simon, even got a mag 5 by the M25  :o

and its not just for the UK either guys  :)

[davenash]

Not sure I understand exactly what you're supposed to be counting in the big dipper ,er I mean The Plough :)

The number of stars that make up the asterism is 7.  Is that the maximum number we can enter?

Or can we count both Alcor AND Mizar, ie. 8?

Or are we supposed to count the number of stars visible within the box part?  Not including the corners I suppose.

And other stars along the "handle" - what about those?

Sorry, I'm not trying to be negative, I think it's a good idea, but I think it could be clearer as to what you want people to do.

Also the results don't work for me, I just see a white box with the Google logo in one corner and a slider in the other.

Dave

[starf]

lol ade, i think the mag 5 by the M25 maybe pushing it a bit. i went out again last night to recheck didn't let my eyes grow accustomed to the dark, but i would say mag 4 is probably a better fit. is there anyway we can change it?