The 1997 reference of diffuse night sky brightness ^*

¹ Max–Planck–Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany
² Astronomy Dept., University of California, 601 Campbell Hall, Berkeley CA 94720, U.S.A.
³ Observatory, P.O. Box 14, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
⁴ Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena CA 91109, U.S.A.
⁵ Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore MD 21218, U.S.A.
⁶ Service d'Aéronomie, BP. 3, F-91371 Verrières le Buisson, France
⁷ Max–Planck–Institut für Aeronomie, Max-Planck-Straße 2, D-37191 Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany
⁸ Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, Université Paris XI, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France
⁹ Astronomisches Institut, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, D-44780 Bochum, Germany
¹⁰ General Sciences Corporation, 6100 Chevy Chase Drive, Laurel, MD 20707, U.S.A.
¹¹ Hughes STX, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Code 685.9, Greenbelt, MD 20771, U.S.A.
¹² MK Industries, 2137E Flintstone Drive, Tucker, Georgia 30084, U.S.A.
¹³ Ritter Astrophys. Res. Center, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, U.S.A.

Send offprint request to: Ch. Leinert

Received: 7 August 1997
Accepted: 8 September 1997

Abstract

In the following we present material in tabular and graphical form, with the aim to allow the non-specialist to obtain a realistic estimate of the diffuse night sky brightness over a wide range of wavelengths from the far UV longward of Lyα to the far-infrared. At the same time the data are to provide a reference for cases in which background brightness has to be discussed, including the planning for space observations and the issue of protection of observatory sites. We try to give a critical presentation of the status at the beginning of 1997.