Sky Quality Meter Unihedron SQM-LE

Sky Quality Meter Unihedron SQM-LE.

With the Sky Quality Meter you can evaluate the clarity of the sky background. This small instrument is lightweight and so easy to carry that it fits in any pocket. Thanks to it, you can easily compare the different observation points where you want to work and find the perfect place for your nighttime observations.

When we have to select our observing site, depending on our personal characteristics, we often find it difficult to distinguish the best sky between two different locations.

In Telescopiomania we recommend the Sky Quality Meter Sky Quality Meter as it is a tool that will allow us to make this decision objectively.

The Sky Quality Meter SQM-LE is actually a photometric instrument. By means of an integrated diode it has the ability to measure the brightness of the sky

Apart from measuring the brightness of the night sky for astronomical observation, the SQM has many other applications (evolution over time of light pollution at a given location).

The SQM-LE model incorporates an integrated lens that provides a localized measurement range of 20°. Thus, it is possible to measure even the smallest areas of the sky with high accuracy. In this way it is able to appreciate the difference in brightness between the horizon and the zenith and in different directions. It is connected to a PC via an Ethernet connection for direct transmission of the measured values.

It calibrates the effect of sky brightness on qualitative measures such as the Bortle scale.

Investigates how sky brightness correlates with the solar cycle and sunspot activity month by month.

Technical characteristics:

• • • • • Sky brightness reported in visual magnitudes per square arc second.
        • Infrared blocking filter restricts the measurement to the visual bandpass.
        • Temperature measurement.
        • Accurate readings even in the darkest places.
        • Firmware upgradeable.
        • Ethernet connectivity
        • Included applications for reading data in Perl.
        • The average value (HWHM) of the angular sensitivity is ~ 10 °. The maximum (FWHM) is ~ 20 °. The sensitivity to a point source ~ 19 ° off-axis is a factor of 10 less than on-axis. A point source ~ 20 ° and ~ 40 ° off-axis would record 3.0 and 5.0 magnitudes fainter, respectively.
        • Maximum light sampling time: 80 seconds.
        • Minimum light sampling time: 1 second.
        • Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Box contents:

• • • • • SQM-LE unit.
        • User's manual.
        • CD with PDF manual and sample software.
        • Ethernet cable
        • Crossover cable
        • Transformer, power supply

General features:

• • • • • Easy to transport.
        • Dimensions 95mm x 60mm x 25mm (without button).
        • Objective measurement of the clarity of the sky.
        • Temperature measurement in degrees Celsius and Fahrenheit.
        • Made in Canada.
        • Ethernet connectivity

Sky Quality Meter Unihedron SQM-LE.