THE SPECTRAL BRIGHTNESS OF THE NIGHT SKY.

摘要

A survey of the literature on the radiation from the night sky over the wavelength region from 0.4micron to 20microns is presented. The major sources of the radiation,including the airglow and the tropospheric thermal emission,are discussed in detail and their angular,diurnal,seasonal,and latitude dependences described. Other sources,including the stars,moon, zodiacal light,aurora,and noctiluscent clouds are discussed. The data are presented in nine figures showing the absolute value of the zenith spectral brightness over several wavelength intervals between 0.4micron and 20microns. The relationship between the zenith spectral brightness and the brightness seen by an observer viewing along a horizontal path a vertical plane surface illuminated by the airglow is derived in an appendix. (Author)