SkyQI- Light Pollution Monitor

AstroPhy

About this app

SkyQI turns your phone into a sky quality meter. Take a photo of the night sky and instantly get a scientific measurement of light pollution at your location.

HOW IT WORKS
Upload a night sky photo and our algorithm analyzes it to calculate:
- SQM (Sky Quality Meter) value — the standard measure of sky darkness
- Bortle Scale rating (1-9) — from pristine dark sky to inner-city sky
- Star count — detected stars in your photo
- Light pollution level — from Excellent to Very Poor

The analysis uses star detection, artificial light identification, horizon glow measurement, and color temperature estimation to produce calibrated results — all from a single photo.

EXPLORE THE MAP
Browse an interactive map showing sky quality measurements from around the world. See where the darkest skies are, and how light pollution varies across cities, suburbs, and rural areas.

SKY CONDITIONS FORECAST
Plan your stargazing with real-time sky condition forecasts including cloud cover, atmospheric seeing, and transparency — so you know the best time to observe.

PHOTO GALLERY
Browse night sky photos from contributors worldwide. Every photo tells a story about light pollution and sky quality at that location.

LEARN & CONTRIBUTE
Read articles about light pollution, its effects on wildlife and human health, and what you can do to help. Every measurement you contribute helps build a global picture of light pollution.

CITIZEN SCIENCE
SkyQI is a citizen science platform. Your measurements contribute to real research on light pollution trends. The more people measure, the better we understand how artificial light is changing our night skies.

FEATURES
- Night sky photo analysis with SQM and Bortle scale
- Interactive global light pollution map
- Sky conditions forecast for stargazing
- Photo gallery from contributors worldwide
- Educational articles on light pollution
- Works with any smartphone camera
- No special equipment needed

Built by a student researcher as part of a science project to monitor and raise awareness about light pollution

What’s new

First release of SkyQI — measure light pollution from your phone.

- Upload night sky photos for instant sky quality analysis
- Get SQM values, Bortle scale ratings, and star counts
- Explore the global light pollution map
- Check sky conditions forecast for stargazing
- Browse night sky photos from around the world
- Read articles about light pollution and dark skies