LAMSkyCam: A low-cost and miniature ground-based sky camera

Area of Science:

• Atmospheric Science
• Remote Sensing Technology
• Optical Instrumentation

Background:

• Ground-based sky imagers (GSIs) provide valuable alternatives to satellite data for Earth observation.
• Existing GSIs can be costly and complex, limiting widespread adoption in atmospheric studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce an extremely low-cost and miniature GSI for atmospheric research.
• To demonstrate a robust, easily deployable camera suitable for diverse environmental conditions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 3D printing and off-the-shelf components for camera construction.
• Designed a compact, pole-mountable camera with a wide field of view.
• Enabled high-resolution day and night sky/cloud image capture at 5-minute intervals.
• Incorporated a local data backup facility for remote accessibility.

Main Results:

• The developed GSI is lightweight, robust, and cost-effective.
• The camera captures high-resolution sky images suitable for atmospheric analysis.
• The open-source hardware design facilitates easy manufacturing and deployment.

Conclusions:

• The proposed miniature GSI is a viable and accessible tool for atmospheric studies.
• The open-source nature promotes wider research and application of this technology.
• This low-cost GSI democratizes atmospheric remote sensing capabilities.