<p>Sky-glow is a generic term for the diffuse light not due to the sun, moon or stars (or aurorae, I suppose). Much of it is light pollution from the ground, some is the zodiacal light from dust in space, and the coolest part may arguably be the air-glow from chemical reactions in the upper atmosphere.</p>
<p>So, depending on height the different components would change strength. Urban light pollution apparently declines as <span class="math-container">$\propto d^{-2.5}$</span> (<a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/130142" rel="nofollow noreferrer">&quot;Walker's law&quot;</a>) due to spreading and absorption, so it would decline with altitude. The zodiacal light would get stronger with less absorption in the atmosphere. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airglow" rel="nofollow noreferrer">air glow</a> is altitude-dependent, and would presumably intensify at first, until one is above it (like the ISS) is.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-27T16:06:00.263Z
2021-01-27T16:06:00.263Z
Anders Sandberg
<p>I'm an architecture student and my graduation project will consist of building a research center for outer space, my question is whether or not height would affect <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyglow" rel="nofollow noreferrer">sky-glow</a> or not ? Thanks in advance, any help is appreciated.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-27T16:42:55.427Z
Welcome to astronomy SE! I made some small edits to make your question more concise.
B--rian
<telescope><space><night-sky><space-telescope><light-pollution>
Is sky-glow affected by height?
Shadi Amr
# Is sky-glow affected by height?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-01-27)

I'm an architecture student and my graduation project will consist of building a research center for outer space, my question is whether or not height would affect [sky-glow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyglow) or not ? Thanks in advance, any help is appreciated.

**Tags:** telescope, space, night-sky, space-telescope, light-pollution

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Welcome to astronomy SE! I made some small edits to make your question more concise.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-01-27. Score: 4

Sky-glow is a generic term for the diffuse light not due to the sun, moon or stars (or aurorae, I suppose). Much of it is light pollution from the ground, some is the zodiacal light from dust in space, and the coolest part may arguably be the air-glow from chemical reactions in the upper atmosphere.

So, depending on height the different components would change strength. Urban light pollution apparently declines as $\propto d^{-2.5}$ (["Walker's law"](https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/130142)) due to spreading and absorption, so it would decline with altitude. The zodiacal light would get stronger with less absorption in the atmosphere. The [air glow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airglow) is altitude-dependent, and would presumably intensify at first, until one is above it (like the ISS) is.


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