Several new people are joining us ahead of the August new moon, so here is the note we give them. The full rules are on the method page. This is the version for your pocket.
Before you leave
- Check the moon. It must be below the horizon for the whole session, so the week either side of a full moon is usually no use.
- Check the clock. In July in Sicily the sky isn’t fully dark until about 22:30.
- Check the forecast for cloud and, in summer, for Saharan dust. Dust is no reason to stay at home, but you must note it.
- Pack the meter, a spare nine-volt battery, your log sheet and a pencil, a watch, a red torch and something warm. Even in July, hills get cool after midnight.
- Bring a friend. A lay-by at midnight is dull on your own, and two people catch each other’s mistakes.
At the point
- Arrive 20 minutes early and take the meter out of its bag.
- Stand on the fixed point. If a parked van or a new lamp has changed things, write that down.
- Look up. If there is cloud near the zenith, wait or go home.
- Hold the meter flat above your head, arms straight. Take one reading and throw it away.
- Take five readings, one minute apart, writing each one down as you go.
The five usual mistakes
- A warm meter. Straight from the car or your pocket, it reads slightly off. Give it ten minutes.
- A lit phone. Light bounces off your face and sleeves, and the sensor sees more of it than you’d think. Use the watch.
- A pale wall. White walls and parked cars throw lamplight upwards. Stand clear of them.
- Local time. We log in UTC. In summer Italy is two hours ahead of it, so a session at 23:00 is logged as 21:00.
- Tidying the numbers. A reading that looks wrong is still a reading. Write it down and add a note.
Afterwards
Enter the session in the volunteer portal within 48 hours. If something looks odd, your coordinator will get in touch. Don’t be alarmed: it happens to everyone, including the person who wrote this note.
The next new moon is on 12 August. See you out there.