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Pandemic Affect on Light Pollution - Can We Quantify?
I have had a few conversations about general observations that light pollution has been reduced due to the Pandemic. It seems logical to assume that the Australian Lockdown will have had a positive effect in reducing light pollution through, far fewer vehicles moving around at night, no sport field lights, no tennis court lights, etc etc.
In an attempt to quantify the local impact I have been using my Sky Quality Metre, from my observatory, to try and determine if a light pollution reduction can be measured. Luckily for me, I have tracking data going back for five years.
So what I have found, over the past couple of weeks, is that the SQM readings have improved, on average for the night's (at around 11pm) I could measure, by 0.25. Meaning that a regular deteriourating baseline of 20.6 has improved to 20.85. Now my area, at Lake Macquarie, is fairly dark normally so that much change is significant, and I put it down to the Bonnells Bay Pub being closed, and the adjacent Tennis Club. My readings five years ago were regularly around 20.9 - 20.92, and general local housing development has been impacting it ever since.
Looking at the general world wide light pollution map, history shows that each year has been worse than the year before, for any particular location.
So my local conclusion is, yes, light pollution has been reduced.
Anyone else able to report on their local area change in LP conditions as a result of the Lockdown?
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