The TESS-W photometer were developed during the STARS4ALL European project as a low cost device to measure the night sky brightness.
The status and evolution of the Light Pollution can be studied with the monitoring stations along the world (TESS network).
More info at the STARS4ALL Foundation webpage
If you want to purchase our products, please contact us at: jzamorano@fis.ucm.es
Open data and real time graphs available at tess.dashboards.stars4all.eu
Send us the relevant information to register your photometer using the register form.
Archived data at UCM GUAIX cloud

STARS4ALL TESS photometers

Posted April 3rd, 2024 by jaz

If you want to purchase our products, please contact us at: jzamorano@fis.ucm.es
Open data and real time graphs available at tess.dashboards.stars4all.eu
Archived data at UCM GUAIX cloud

TESS-W was developed during the STARS4ALL European Project. This photometer uses Wifi communication to connect to a router that sends the data in real time using MQTT protocols. The data is available in real time using GRAFANA panels for visualization. Monthly sky brightness files using the IDA-IAU standard format with the data for each photometer is provided open for any interested citizen.

TESS-W is the photometer you need to continously monitoring the sky brightness at night.

TESS-W photometer is mounted on a weatherproof enclosure (87x75x45 mm). Wherever there is electricity and WIFI you can install it and get the measures online trough the accelerometers included to provide the pointing of the photometer.
Its temperature and IR sensor will let you know whether the sky is clear or cloudy.
Browse the poster presented during the IAU 2018 in Vienna for more info or check the article describing the device by Jaime Zamorano et al. 2016 The International Journal of Sustainable Lighting 35 (2016) 49-54
TESS-W was developed during the STARS4ALL European Project. This photometer uses Wifi communication to connect to a router that sends the data in real time using MQTT protocols. The data is available in real time using GRAFANA panels for visualization. Monthly sky brightness files using the IDA-IAU standard format with the data for each photometer is provided open for any interested citizen.
This is the photometer used in the fixed monitoring stations of the STARS4ALL network.

TESS-P has been designed to use as a hand help portable photometer.

The small display shows the measurements.
The photometer can be connected via bluetooth to the smartphone app to display and to record your observations.
There are accelerometers included to provide the pointing of the photometer.
The inside battery is enough to register sporadic measures. If you want to use it on the go or for a night long series of observations you should connect to a power bank.
Download and install TESS-P app for Android and record your measurements along with your GPS location.
You can also use this photometer to map the sky brightness from a moving vehicle using a smartphone app.

TAS allows you to obtain all-sky brightness maps.

The mount should be leveled and oriented to north.
After connecting to the TESS-P smartphone app you only need to press the small button to initiate the full automatic scanning.
The 140 data point all along the celestial vault are recorded and they are used to create a map.
The all-sky night sky brighness map is similar to those of the NixNox Project.

Optional watertight case for outdoor and transport protection

Secondary webpage for TESS photometers

Posted March 9th, 2024 by jaz

The TESS-W photometer were developed during the STARS4ALL European project as a low cost device to measure the night sky brightness.
The status and evolution of the Light Pollution can be studied with the monitoring stations along the world (TESS network).
This page is a redundant information page to be used when the main page ( https://tess.stars4all.eu/.) is down. This page is under construction.

TESS-4C photometer

Posted April 15th, 2025 by jaz

While TESS-W can determine the night sky brightness in a broadband (panchromatic) it is interesting to determine the brightness in several bands to also get insight into the colour of the night sky. This is a step forward because variations in brightness and colour of the sky is a key observation when determining the impact of light pollution when a retrofit (change of lamp technology) is on the way.
TESS-4C is similar to a TESS-W but has 4 channels. The data are feed to the STARS4ALL repository and can also be read with local apps in your computer.

Software

Posted August 14th, 2024 by jaz

TESS-W

Buy a TESS

Posted April 9th, 2024 by jaz
TESS-W TESS-P TAS
€ 250 € 300 € 400 (ABS box: 20€)
(VAT, shipping and handling NOT included) (VAT, shipping and handling NOT included) (VAT, shipping and handling NOT included)