From its unique vantage point in Devon, LYRA-51 is capturing the vital, long-term evidence needed to make the invisible changes to our night sky, visible.
Our flagship initiative, LYRA-51, will establish a growing network of monitoring stations across Devon, creating a permanent, open-access dataset for our community. We are developing a new way to observe our night sky, measuring how changes in artificial lighting drive changes in our shared natural heritage.
By listening to and collaborating with local councils, conservation groups, schools, and fellow astronomers, we deepen our collective understanding of light pollution, support local innovation, and provide the objective evidence needed to help inform decisions that protect Devon’s nightscape for the benefit of all.
© Hydrogen Alpha. LYRA‑51 is a trademark of Hydrogen Alpha. All rights reserved.
At the heart of each LYRA-51 station is the Unihedron Sky Quality Meter (SQM), a scientific-grade instrument built to precisely and continuously measure night sky brightness.
This allows us to track even subtle changes in light pollution over time, providing the robust, objective data needed to make the case for protecting Devon’s nightscape.
To understand the full impact of this issue and why these measurements are so vital, watch this excellent short introduction to the causes and effects of light pollution by National Geographic.
Hydrogen Alpha to Launch LYRA-51 to Monitor Devon’s Night Skies
