ABSOLUTE SPECTRAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTION OF THE NIGHT SKY AT PALOMAR AND MOUNT WILSON OBSERVATORIES

ABSOLUTE SPECTRAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTION OF THE NIGHT SKY AT PALOMAR AND MOUNT WILSON OBSERVATORIES

The absolute spectral energy distributions of the night sky at Palomar and Mount Wilson Observatories have been obtained by means of photoelectric spectrophotometry. Measurements made on a number of dates are discussed and compared. The average sky brightness at Palomar, still a relatively dark site...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific Vol. 86; no. 512; pp. 545 - 551
Main Author: TURNROSE, BARRY E.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: The Astronomical Society of the Pacific 01-08-1974
Subjects:
Airglow
Emission spectra
Line spectra
Night tables
Observatories
Sky brightness
Spectral bands
Spectral energy distribution
Sunspots
Wavelengths
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Summary:The absolute spectral energy distributions of the night sky at Palomar and Mount Wilson Observatories have been obtained by means of photoelectric spectrophotometry. Measurements made on a number of dates are discussed and compared. The average sky brightness at Palomar, still a relatively dark site, shows no very significant long-term changes over the period 1969-73. The average brightness in the continuum at 5400 Å is AB ≈ 22 magnitudes per square arc second. The overall sky brightness at Mount Wilson is typically close to two magnitudes brighter than at Palomar, and the artificial mercury emission-line intensities are up to 30 times stronger than at Palomar.
ISSN:0004-6280
1538-3873
DOI:10.1086/129642