Policy on Oregon Skyglow Measurement Network

Oregon Skyglow Measurement Network, a Project of DarkSky Oregon

I. PURPOSE

A. To support organizations and locations currently working toward IDA dark sky certification or maintaining their certification.

B. To monitor the changing state of light pollution in Oregon skies from a variety of locations.

C. To publish and publicize the results of our findings to share with:

1. Collaborating organizations such as community groups, advocates, special interest groups and other natural allies;

2. Governmental organizations and public policy makers whose decisions have an impact on light pollution.

3. The Oregon public and public interest groups for education and raising awareness.

4. Technical researchers worldwide by publication in reviewed journal articles.

D. Research to expand the utility of SQM data. For example, improve the definition of long-term trends from SQM data by analysis and adjustment for factors that affect night sky brightness such as atmospheric and solar conditions.

II. PLAN

A. To place as many SQMs as we can either afford or get donations for or find people or organizations to place them where someone agrees to have them and agrees to download the data.

B. To place at least one SQM in each of the counties in Oregon.

C. To select placement of SQMs with the purpose of covering as many different types of locations, both rural and urban, public and private, as possible; in addition, to support locations working toward dark sky certification.

D. To continue to monitor Oregon’s dark sky quality along two lines of inquiry:

1. Are we losing quality in the darkest parts of Oregon’s skies?

2. Are we recovering night sky quality in the more polluted parts of Oregon’s night skies?

E. To create ever-better maps to tell our story with the use of GIS software and knowledgeable cartographers.

F. To convey the SQM project results in formats understandable by the public, for example, readable reports, press releases and online videos.