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9th International Conference on Physics and Its Applications (ICOPIA) IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1153 (2019) 012133 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1153/1/012133

Light pollution at Bosscha Observatory, Indonesia

Dhani Herdiwijaya
Astronomy Research Group and Bosscha Observatory, Institute Technology of
Bandung, Ganesha 10 Bandung, Indonesia 40132

E-mail: dhani@itb.ac.id

Abstract. To know the level of light pollution due to human activities, we performed sky
brightness measurements at Bosscha Observatory, Indonesia (107°36'E; 6°49'S, 1300 m above
the sea level) during years 2011-2012 by using a portable photometer at zenith direction. From
400 records of night, we obtained that average and maximum sky brightness were 17.75±0.86
mag/arcsec sq. and 19.14±0.79 mag/arcsec sq., respectively. Cities around the Observatory,
that are Bandung and Lembang, clearly give a strong contribution to light pollution. The
patches of Milky Way galaxy are disappearing from the sky. Higher maximum sky brightness
occurred after midnight. Brightness values before midnight were 17.83±0.83 mag/arcsec sq. on
average and 18.98±0.78 mag/arcsec sq. at maximum, with average temperature of 18.8±1.3 C.
The average and maximum magnitudes after midnight were 17.67±0.88 mag/arcsec sq. and
19.41±1.24 mag/arcsec sq. with average temperature of 17.1±1.6 C. Sky brightness depends on
Moon age and monthly seasonal variations, but it has no relation with Earth eccentricity.

1. Introduction
The Bosscha Observatory (107° 36' E; 6° 49' S, 1300 m above the sea level) was officially inaugurated
in Lembang, West Java, Indonesia in 1923 after several years discussion by the Netherlands-Indies
Astronomical Society in which K.A.R Bosscha, a Malabar of southern Bandung tea plantation
director, was promoted and funded [1]. The observatory is the oldest astronomy laboratory for
researchers and students in Indonesia that has installed several types of small telescopes in some types,
e.g. double refractors Zeiss (diameter 60 cm, f/18), Schmidt catadioptric telescope (diameter 71 cm,
f/1.8), Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope (diameter 28 cm, f/6.3), etc. and radio telescopes with 2.3 m and
6 m aperture disks. It is still operated and well maintained with a wide range of research topics of
spectroscopy, photometry, and imaging from double stars, variables stars, interstellar matters, solar
system and planetary objects, extrasolar planets, solar activities, etc. After 95 years old, Bosscha
Observatory faces increasing population by the vicinity of cities. Those kinds of research with
powerful telescopes have been demerited as sky glow spread out from nearby cities. Light pollution is
an excessive, misdirected, uncontrolled consequences of external of unshielded lighting causing like as
sky glow, light trespass, and glare. Propagation of upward light washed out celestial bodies
appearance and interferes with astronomical research [2]. Light pollution is an elusive and the most
rapidly types of human activities to bolster environmental degradation [3,4,5]. Many studies also
proved that it adversely affects human health [6,7,8,9,10,11,12], wildlife [13,14], diverting from
energy saving, and causing high cost economy impacts [15,16]. Its intensity has been dispersed and
scattered to the night sky, increasing nocturnal man-made sky brightness levels added terrestrial
atmospheric emission or air glow due to photochemical mechanisms, instead of natural point sources
light and moonlight. Light pollution should be recognized as a disruption to our environment and our
health [2]. It is not only a problem for astronomers, so it is also noted as a public health hazard. The

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9th International Conference on Physics and Its Applications (ICOPIA) IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1153 (2019) 012133 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1153/1/012133

natural dark sky is a universal heritage that stimulating science and religion, unfortunately it’s beauty
unknown to the newest generation. This short study will measure light pollution by using Sky Quality
Meter, a portable and exact enough for high temporal photometer at Bosscha Observatory that implies
to broader environmental impacts, especially on northern Bandung area. There is no systematically
light pollution monitoring before, in which the results will open environmental and urban planning
studies.

2. Result and Discussion

A portable and low-cost photometer of Sky Quality Meter (SQM) which has good enough stability and
accuracy [17,18,19] was operated and connected via USB port with about 5m apart from a laptop. The
same configuration was applied for light pollution monitoring at Yogyakarta city [20]. It was toward
zenith direction and set for 3-5 seconds interval times for more than 14000 recorded data per night.
Figure 1 showed 400 days of average sky brightness with divided ranges of time for AM and PM from
the end of year 2011 to 2012. Sky brightness at Bosscha Observatory was below 20 magnitude/arcsec
square or mpass, in which the patch of Milky Way galaxy could not be naked-eye viewed anymore.
The average of sky brightness was 17.75±0.86 mpass. Light upward and air pollutions from cities,
mainly Bandung and Lembang, around the observatory caused brighter sky. The monthly asymmetric
effect due to moon phases was clearly detected. Sky brightness before and after midnight will be
obviously quantified for the advantage to observation plan at the observatory.

Figure 1. Yearly sky brightness at Bosscha Observatory for year 2011-2012.

Monthly variations of sky brightness were within 16.5 to 18.5 mpass, as appeared in figure 2. Average
brightness before midnight were slightly larger than after midnight, except in summer of July. After
midnight values of average brightness were relatively constant. During the equinox at March and
September, there was no difference of average brightness during after and before midnight.
Periodically changing of solar position in sky could affect night brightness. In contrast with monthly
average brightness, values of the maximum brightness were larger during after midnight. They were
still below 20 mpass. The average of maximum brightness was 19.14±0.79 mpass. Starting from April
to December, there were more probability of finding darker sky in after midnight. In the late rainy
season of February and dry season of July, average and maximum brightness were decreased or more
sky illumination during the time of before midnight. the higher maximum magnitude occurred after
midnight. Values before midnight were 17.83±0.83 mpass on average and 18.98±0.78 mpass at
maximum, with average temperature of 18.8±1.30C. The average and maximum magnitudes after
midnight were 17.67±0.88 mpass and 19.41±1.24 mpass with average temperature of 17.1±1.60C. In
dry season of July and August, temperature after midnight dropped to about 15 0C, cooler than before
midnight by about 2-30C. It is related to darker sky brightness in after midnight. The periodic effect of
moon phases represented in figure 1. We can establish sky brightness as function with moon age, as

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9th International Conference on Physics and Its Applications (ICOPIA) IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1153 (2019) 012133 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1153/1/012133

shown in figure 3a. Due to this effect, average brightness of before and after midnight gave
asymmetric patterns relative to the full Moon phase. Before midnight brightness were smaller than
after midnight, in the time of before the full Moon phase, and vice-versa. During the full Moon phase,
sky brightness increased about 3 magnitudes or about 15 times brighter. About 5 days before and after
the new Moon phase, there were no significant differences. So, this monthly brightness fluctuations
can be reduced by choosing about 10 days around the new Moon phase, as a moonless sky brightness.
Yearly sky brightness, after selecting with the above criteria, was shown in figure 3b. Darker sky
brightness occurs during the dry season.

Figure 2. Monthly sky brightness at Bosscha Observatory for year 2011-2012 for average (left) and
maximum (right) brightness and temperature (below).

Figure 3. The effect of moon phases to sky brightness (a, left) and after selection for ±5 days from the
New Moon (b, right).

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9th International Conference on Physics and Its Applications (ICOPIA) IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1153 (2019) 012133 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1153/1/012133

Figure 4 show relation of sky brightness with solar distance and the Earth eccentricity. After corrected
with timing of Moon ages, seasonal variation of apparent solar distance clearly influences night sky
brightness (figure 4c). Orbital parameter, such as the Earth eccentricity variations, had no clear impact
on sky brightness, as seen in figure 4d.

Figure 4. The effect of solar distance (a, top-left) and Earth’s eccentricity (b, top-right). After
selection for ±5 days from the New Moon for solar distance (c, bottom-left) and eccentricity (d,
bottom-right).

3. Conclusions
We have measured and quantified night sky brightness at Bosscha Observatory for 400 nights that
divided into AM and PM time periods, during years 2011 to 2012. We found that average and the
maximum sky brightness were 17.75±0.86 mpass and 19.14±0.79 mpass or within Bortle’s Class 5
(suburban sky), respectively. Sky brightness depended on seasonal variations with changing of solar
distance. However, variations of Earth eccentricity had no distinct relation with sky brightness
fluctuations. Maximum sky brightness and average temperature in after midnight showed consistently
darker sky and cooler than before midnight. We confirm that there were strong Moon ages
dependencies on, so we can define five days before and after the New Moon phase as maximum
duration of moonless sky brightness. We suggest that sky brightness monitoring at Bosscha
Observatory should be performed in longer period. Moreover, the observatory and local government
should act thoughtfully together to prevent declining night sky quality over the observatory from
nearby cities.

4. Acknowledgement
This work was supported by ITB Research Fund (P3MI-ITB) year 2017.

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9th International Conference on Physics and Its Applications (ICOPIA) IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1153 (2019) 012133 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1153/1/012133

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