Dark Skies

I’ve added this section to my website to show my commitment to the importance of protecting and understanding dark skies.

I’ve purchased a Sky Quality Meter (SQM) and will be using it to record the quality of the night skies in Taranaki and beyond. Over time, I’ll add my SQM readings here to build a public record of sky darkness across different locations and conditions.

Why record SQM readings?

One of the main reasons I’m doing this is that satellite-based light pollution maps for New Zealand have known limitations, largely due to a lack of ground-based SQM measurements to properly calibrate them. At present, only a small number of people are regularly submitting SQM data in this region. As a result, satellite estimates can sometimes misrepresent actual sky darkness, occasionally by around one Bortle class, particularly in rural or complex terrain.

By taking SQM readings, documenting them here, and also uploading the data to the official Globe at Night website and app, I hope to contribute to improving the accuracy of light pollution maps for this region over time.

Another important reason is to help document long-term changes in night sky quality. A common trend worldwide is for light pollution around cities and towns to gradually increase unless there is a strong local commitment to responsible outdoor lighting.

Finally, I’m also curious to see whether it’s possible to identify the darkest locations in Taranaki, and potentially even within the North Island, based on repeated, well-documented measurements.

SQM Readings

Note: SQM readings vary from night to night due to factors such as airglow, atmospheric conditions, and where in the sky the measurement is taken. Values listed here are single-point measurements and should not be interpreted as fixed or permanent site ratings.

Everett Park Reserve (Inglewood, Taranaki)

  • SQM readings: 21.29 / 21.19 / 21.39

  • Average: 21.29 (approximately Bortle 4)

  • Date & time: 06.02.2026, 10:18 pm

  • Conditions: ~15 minutes before 85% illuminated moonrise

  • Temperature: ~17 °C

  • Satellite map estimate: ~Bortle 4–5

  • Elevation: 92 meters

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This image illustrates the Bortle scale, which measures the impact of light pollution on the dark skies at a given location. It shows, from left to right, the decrease in the number of stars and night-sky objects visible in excellent dark sky conditi