Starcounts and Light Pollution surveys
You can measure how dark your sky is by counting the number of star that are visible within a particular constellation; or by using a special light meter. This can be a good school or community activity. Here are some schemes to help you do this.
| Option | Target | When | Comments |
Starcount Week, run by CfDS/CPRE |
Orion | Late January | Orion is a well-known constellation. This is a UK scheme which takes place during our long winter nights. |
| Worldwide Starcount | Cygnus | October | Cynus is a trickier constellation to find. |
| Globe at Night | Orion | January to April | Orion is a well-known constellation. This is a US scheme which takes place partly during British Summer Time. |
| Sky Quality Meter You can send your results to: MyDarkSky |
Whole Sky | New Moon | You can carry out these surveys whenever the Moon is not in the night sky. |