Review of potential astronomical optical observatory sites in the Philippines
| Autor: | Princess Tucio, Ruby Ann B Dela Cruz |
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| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
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| Zdroj: | IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 880:012008 |
| ISSN: | 1755-1315 1755-1307 |
| DOI: | 10.1088/1755-1315/880/1/012008 |
| Popis: | The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7,600 islands with many geographical features such as mountain ranges, seas, and plains. The country has fairly developed cities that are now experiencing various kinds of pollution at different levels and intensities. Highly developed urban areas are brightly lit and are currently experiencing worsening light pollution. Despite this, the two biggest telescopes in the country are still installed in two observatories right in the country’s capital city where light pollution is at its worst. This paper aims to identify several locations away from light pollution in the islands of Luzon, the biggest island in the Philippines, and the island of Palawan, where optical astronomical observatories may be built. The locations are chosen by studying the comparative light pollution scales in the various locations. The topography of the place and meteorological data such as temperature, humidity, and precipitation are likewise studied and considered as factors. Included in these factors is the fact that both the islands of Luzon and Palawan experience several typhoons every year, while earthquakes occur anywhere in the archipelago. For this reason, the observatories to be built must be designed to withstand Category 5 typhoons and strong magnitude 7 to 8 earthquakes. The results of the study identify the places on the island of Palawan and in northern Luzon which are good dark sites for the establishment of optical astronomy observatories. These locations can be declared as protected and developed as dark-sky sites dedicated to the study of Astronomy. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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