Suggestion: Stargazing layer
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Hi,
Could you create a layer that shows the conditions for stargazing - i.e. taking into account light pollution and visibility. This would need to combine:
- sunrise/sunset
- moonrise/moonset/moon phase
- fixed light pollution from human sources (see https://www.lightpollutionmap.info )
- cloud cover
- fog
- aurora forecast (ideally it would be good to be able to see the layer with/without this included, as you may want to observe the aurora)
Algorithms for sun/moon are at: https://github.com/mourner/suncalc
Light pollution: https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/help.html
Space weather / Aurora: https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ -
Hi @rbbot , thanks for your message with all the useful links! Although it's not our priority at the moment, we will note this idea in our backlog.
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The Dataset which is used by https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/ can be found here: http://dataservices.gfz-potsdam.de/contact/showshort.php?id=escidoc:1541893&contactform
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Environment Canada provides astronomy forecasts https://weather.gc.ca/astro/index_e.html - I am not sure they do anything more than a North American model, or if anyone else provides anything similar. I use their cloudiness, transparency, and seeing forecast maps all the time through http://www.cleardarksky.com - Clear Dark Sky also models darkness relative to sunset/sunrise and moon brightness.
