ALLSky Camera

All-sky cameras are equipped with special fisheye lenses that capture a super-wide, almost hemispherical view of the sky. Originally created for meteorology, these cameras serve a valuable role at the Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic. They help observatory and Sépaq staff remotely monitor sky conditions and record the entire night sky in one frame. This camera comes in handy for various purposes, including tracking weather patterns, noting sunrise and sunset times, and spotting the cosmic light show that is the aurora borealis (also known as “the northern lights”). Recording these auroras is important because they can affect astronomical observations, and their unpredictable and fast-changing nature makes them a challenging factor to account for in data analysis. Alongside other cameras on the OMM catwalk, the All-sky camera provides a real-time, comprehensive view of Mont-Mégantic’s ever-changing night sky.

Below, you can click through the most recent images taken by the OMM All-Sky camera. What can you spot?