NITELite: A High-Altitude Balloon Light Pollution Research Mission

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Abstract

The NITELite (Night Imaging of Terrestrial Environments Lite) system provides a means for acquiring high-quality light pollution data at a relatively low cost from a High Altitude Balloon (HAB). NITELite is a self-contained, automated light pollution imaging system flown to altitudes between 25-30 km. The goal of the system is to image large areas (100s km2) in multiple color bands at high spatial resolution (<10m/px) and sensitivity (~10-8W/cm2/sr) for a relatively low cost (<$3000). The relatively low operating costs in particular permit repeated missions studying changes in light pollution over time, or variations in lighting depending on the time of night. Here we detail the systems, challenges, mission operations and initial results from the NITELite mission.

How to Cite:

Walczak, K. J., Gyuk, G., Hammergren, M. & Tarr, C., (2022) “NITELite: A High-Altitude Balloon Light Pollution Research Mission”, Journal of High Altitude Ballooning 2(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/jhab.18042