Night Sky Projects and Mapping
Night Sky Resources, Projects, and Mapping
While it is hard to quantify the true value a clear view of the night sky brings, we try our best! By collecting data and measuring the darkness of the sky we can develop a baseline definition of current sky quality. This allows us to better understand just what could be lost as the Hill Country rapidly develops. When studies such as the ones shown below are used to inform development and local policy we can ensure that community growth does not have to mean an increase in light pollution.
Featured Resources
Mapping Resources
Credit: Putman Mountain Observatory
Hill Country Sky Quality Monitoring Network
The Putman Mountain Observatory has established a network of sky quality meters in various Hill Country locations and is currently working with the Hill Country Alliance to further expand the network throughout the region.
Credit: Hill Country Alliance
Hill Country Night Skies Mapping
1992 – 2010 Map Set
The Hill Country Night Skies map set is a set of 6 maps showing the night time light intensity of the Hill Country in 1992, 1995, 2000, and 2010. The final map shows the change in intensity from 1992 to 2010. The data was collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Click here to view or download the Hill Country Night Skies 1992 – 2010 map set.
Credit: Amy Jackson
Dark Sky Quality Analysis
Being able to both understand and explain the quality of our region’s night skies is critical to effective communication with both policy makers and the general public. In an effort to better inform Hill Country residents of our region’s sky quality, the Central Texas Dark Sky Quality Analysis was created in 2019 by Amy Jackson. This project was completed as part of an Austin Community College GIS program Capstone Project, in collaboration with the Hill Country Alliance.
Click here to view or download the 2019 Central Texas Dark Sky Quality poster with map and data table. To explore the same analysis for the entire State of Texas, click here.
Additional Resources Beyond the Hill Country
Globe at Night Interactive Map
Credit: Globe at Night
Globe at Night Interactive Map
Globe at Night is an international citizen science campaign that has been collecting data about the night sky since 2006, in order to raise public awareness about the global spread of light pollution. Over the years, data has been collected from more than 200,000 observations across 180 countries.
Click here to explore data and maps from Globe at Night.
To participate in this project and submit your data click here.
World Map of Artificial Sky Brightness
Credit: The New World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness
World Map of Artificial Sky Brightness
This easily navigable, interactive light pollution map displays overlays of night time lights on our planet. It shows night time lights as well as the World Map of Artificial Sky Brightness map layer. This map was created by an international team of scientists using high resolution satellite data – click here to learn more.
Recent Night Sky News
Eclipse roundtables ‘like preparing for a hurricane’ in the Hill Country
DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) — The Hill Country Alliance, a non-profit focused on conserving and protecting the Texas Hill Country, will host the latest of its Hill Country Eclipse Roundtables on July 25th. The total solar eclipse, happening on April 8th, 2024, is...
Want to see next year’s total solar eclipse? Make plans now
The path of totality. That’s where you’ll want to be on April 8, 2024, to take advantage of the last opportunity for decades to see a total solar eclipse over the contiguous United States. The path, which will be about 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide, will make its...
Massive Texas Eclipse festival set for April 2024
Less than a year from now, the Highland Lakes will be ground zero for what is expected to be an incredible view of a total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, and a festival of gigantic proportions is in the works. Texas Eclipse, which is set for April 6-8, will take...
Opinion: Turn off the lights! Birds are depending on us.
Deep in the heart of Texas, the stars at night burn big and bright, but if you're hoping to catch a glimpse of the Milky Way over Austin, you are probably out of luck. As the region continues to experience rapid growth, Austinites are robbed of the spectacular night...