Unihedron Sky Quality Meter with Lens - Narrow Field of View / Ethernet Connection # SQM-LE

Our #: PAOA-UN-SQM-LE
Mfg #: SQM-LE
Our Price: $287.00
Free shipping for this item in the US
More Info

Contiguous US Customers:
All items we sell ship for free within the Contiguous US. Shipping will be via the cheapest shipping method which will vary depending on the items in your order. During checkout, you may also be shown other optional faster shipping choices.

US Customers in Hawaii and Alaska:
Free shipping applies to almost all products. A few large telescopes and mounts are excluded from this free shipping offer. For these items, please contact us to obtain a shipping quote before you check out using the online shopping cart.

International Customers:
Free shipping does not apply to international orders. During check-out, you will be presented with several shipping choices and costs. However, the export of some items may be restricted outside the US due to size or manufacturer restrictions.

In Stock (4 Available)
Stock listed above is accurate & shown in real time
Ships by Next Business Day

Product Details

An ethernet-enabled SQM model for night-time sky brightness monitoring! The "Sky Quality Meter" measures the brightness of the night sky in magnitudes per square arcsecond. Designed by Dr. Doug Welch and Anthony Tekatch, the Unihedron Sky Quality Meter offers unprecedented sensitivity in a handheld meter.

Uses:

  • Find out how good the night or site REALLY is.
  • Compare the sky brightness at different sites quantitatively.
  • Document the evolution of light pollution in your area.
  • Set planetarium dome illumination to mimic the skies people are likely to experience elsewhere in the city.
  • Monitor sky brightness through the night, night-to-night, and year-to-year.
  • Determine which nights show the greatest promise for finding the 'faintest fuzzies'!
  • Calibrate the effect of sky brightness on qualitative measures such as the Bortle Scale.
  • Investigate how sky brightness correlates with the solar cycle and month-to-month sunspot activity.
  • Help provide local ground truth for future sky brightness prediction with the Clear Sky Clock.
  • CCD users can make a correlation between the SQM reading and when the background reaches some ADC level.

Features:

  • Sky brightness reported in visual magnitudes per square arcsecond.
  • Infrared blocking filter restricts measurement to visual bandpass.
  • Sensor temperature, model number, and serial number are provided.
  • Precision readings at even the darkest sites.
  • Field-upgradeable firmware.
  • Open protocol document.

Specifications:

  • Ethernet connectivity.
  • Included applications for reading data in Java, C, Perl, Python.
  • The Half Width Half Maximum (HWHM) of the angular sensitivity is ~10°. The Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM) is then ~20°. The sensitivity to a point source ~19° off-axis is a factor of 10 lower than on-axis. A point source ~20° and ~40° off-axis would register 3.0 and 5.0 magnitudes fainter, respectively.
  • Operates from 5-6VDC adapter (included).
  • Size 3.6 x 2.6 x 1.1 in.
  • Maximum light sampling time: 80 seconds.
  • Minimum light sampling time: 1 seconds.
  • Specifications are subject to change without notice.

What You Get:

  • SQM-LE unit
  • International power adapter
  • USB flash drive containing the users manual, operation software (UDM), and example software. This can also be found online here.
  • 6ft Ethernet cable (straight through for connection to hub/router)
  • Ethernet crossover cable (for connection directly to PC)
  • Calibration sheet indicates unit MAC address and calibration values

Optional Accessories (Sold Separately):

Useful Resources

Other Information

  • Country of Manufacture: Canada