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Pendoley Environmental’s trade marked Sky42 technology described as ‘cutting edge’


Pendoley Environmental delegates, Dr Kellie Pendoley and Ben Goodsell, at the “First International Conference on Artificial Light at Night”, Berlin, Germany, have attracted the attention of international specialists with their trademarked Sky42. Developed in-house by Dr Pendoley, in collaboration with the Perth Observatory, Sky42 TM has been described as the ‘cutting edge’ of current advances in technology designed to monitor and measure artificial light.

Sky42TM captures digital photographs at regular intervals, provides a full 360° horizon, quantifies low light levels, targets specific light sources, and can select specific regions of the visible spectrum for analysis - all features which are typically lacking in standard commercial light measuring equipment. Sky42TM has specific application to marine turtle hatchlings which are more responsive to shorter (i.e. near ultraviolet violet to blue) than longer (i.e. orange to red light) wavelengths of light.

The raw images it collects are converted into a light level contour map, or isophote. This map allows quantification of artificial light glow in terms of spatial extent and brightness. Results are in a form that is both understandable and useful for environmental practitioners and managers.

Sky42 TM is currently being utilized in marine turtle hatchling orientation studies on Barrow Island in north-west Western Australia.

Dr Pendoley is to present on 30th October 2013.