Characterization of Timau National Observatory using limited in situ measurements

Abstract

ABSTRACT A new astronomical observatory in south-eastern Indonesia is currently under construction. This Timau National Observatory will host a 3.8-m telescope for optical and near-infrared observations. To support the operation and planning, the characterization of the site needs to be appropriately performed. However, limited resources and access to the site hindered the deployment of instruments for comprehensive site testing. Fortunately, in situ sky brightness data from the Sky Quality Meter (SQM) have been available for almost 2 yr. Based on the data acquired in 470 nights, we obtain a background sky brightness of μ0 = 21.86 ± 0.38 mag arcsec−2. Additionally, we evaluate the moonlit sky brightness to estimate the atmospheric extinction coefficient (k) and level of scattering on site. We find an elevated value of k = 0.48 ± 0.04, associated with a high atmospheric aerosol content. It is considered regular for an equatorial area situated at a low altitude (∼1300 masl). By analysing the fluctuation of the sky brightness and infrared images from Himawari-8 satellite, we estimate the available observing time (AOT) of at least 5.3 h/night and the yearly average percentage of usable nights of $66{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$. The monthly average AOT from SQM and satellite data analysis correlate with R = 0.82. In terms of the monthly percentage of usable nights, the correlation coefficient is R = 0.78. During the wet season (November–April), the results from SQM and satellite data analysis deviate more significantly, mainly due to the limited capability of Himawari-8 in detecting fragmented low-altitude clouds. According to these results, we expect Timau to complement other observatories greatly.