This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
Nighttime Visibility in Varying Moonlight Conditions
Technical Paper
2019-01-1005
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
This content contains downloadable datasets
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
When the visibility of an object or person in the roadway from a driver’s perspective is an issue, the potential effect of moonlight is sometimes questioned. To assess this potential effect, methods typically used to quantify visibility were performed during conditions with no moon and with a full moon. In the full moon condition, measurements were collected from initial moon rise until the moon reached peak azimuth. Baseline ambient light measurements of illumination at the test surface were measured in both no moon and full moon scenarios. Additionally, a vehicle with activated low beam headlamps was positioned in the testing area and the change in illumination at two locations forward of the vehicle was recorded at thirty-minute intervals as the moon rose to the highest position in the sky. Also, two separate luminance readings were recorded during the test intervals, one location 75 feet in front and to the left of the vehicle, and another 150 feet forward of the vehicle. These luminance readings yielding the change in reflected light attributable to the moon. In addition to the quantitative measurement of light contributed by the moon, documentation to the change in visibility of objects and pedestrians located on the roadway were documented through photographs. Calibrated nighttime photographs were taken from the driver’s perspective inside the vehicle with low beam headlamps activated. The photographs were analyzed after testing to determine how the light intensity of the pixels in the photographs changed at each thirty-minute interval due to the additional light contribution from the moon. The results of this testing indicate that the quantifiable change in visibility distance attributable to added moonlight was negligible, and in real-world driving situations, the effect of additional illumination from a full moon would be unlikely to affect the detection of an object or pedestrian in or near the travel lane of the roadway.
Recommended Content
Authors
Citation
Neale, W., Marr, J., McKelvey, N., and Kuzel, M., "Nighttime Visibility in Varying Moonlight Conditions," SAE Technical Paper 2019-01-1005, 2019, https://doi.org/10.4271/2019-01-1005.Data Sets - Support Documents
Title | Description | Download |
---|---|---|
Unnamed Dataset 1 | ||
Unnamed Dataset 2 | ||
Unnamed Dataset 3 | ||
Unnamed Dataset 4 |
Also In
References
- Verity , H. We Landed by Moonlight Second Revised Crecy Publishing 1995
- Henderson , K. Driving by Moonlight Seal Press 2003
- “Moonlight for Headlights” 1946
- Safe Drive Training Company, Brisbane Australia
- Biberman , L.M. , Dunkelman , L. , Fickett , M.L. , and Finke , R.G. 1966
- Brown , D.R.E. 1952
- Kyba , C. , Mohar , A. , and Posch , T. How Bright Is Moonlight? - A&G Astronomy and Geophysics 58 1 1.31 1.32 2017
- Leibowitz , H.W. Ambient Illuminance during Twilight and from the Moon Night Vision: Current Research and Future Directions. Symposium Proceedings 1987 19 22
- Rea , M.S. The IESNA Lighting Handbook 9th New York IESNA 2000
- Redelmeier , D.A. and Shafir , E. The Full Moon and Motorcycle Related Mortality: Population Based Double Control Study BMJ 359 j5367 2017
- Onozuka , D. , Nishimura , K. , and Hagihara , A. Full Moon and Traffic Accident-Related Emergency Ambulance Transport: A Nationwide Case-Crossover Study Science of the Total Environment 644 801 805 2018
- Sivak , M. , Schoettle , B. , and Tsimhoni , O. Moon Phases and Nighttime Road Crashes Involving Pedestrians Leukos 4 2 129 131 2007
- Williams , D. 2017
- Denver , C. USA - Moonrise, Moonset, and Moon Phases 2017 https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/usa/denver
- Muttart , J.W. Driver’s Responses in Emergency Situations Crash Safety Solutions 2017 103
- Ayres , T.J.
- Ayres , T.J and Kubose , T. 2015
- KODAK Color Card/R-27 2017
- CloudCompare http://www.danielgm.net/cc/
- US Naval Observatory
- Neale , W.T.C. , Marr , J. , and Hessel , D. Nighttime Videographic Projection Mapping to Generate Photo-Realistic Simulation Environments SAE Technical Paper 2016-01-1415 2016 10.4271/2016-01-1415
- Ayres , T.J. and Kayfetz , P. Calibration and Validation of Videographic Visibility Presentations Seattle American Academy of Forensic Sciences 2010
- Holohan , R.D. , Billing , A.M. , and Murray , S.D. Nighttime Photography - Show It Like It Is SAE Technical Paper 890730 1989 10.4271/890730
- Edwards , C.J. and Gibbons , R.B. 2009
- Kosmatka , W. UDC - Uniform Detection Characteristic for Detecting Roadway Obstacles SAE Technical Paper 2006-01-0948 2006 10.4271/2006-01-0948
- Muttart , J. W. and Romoser , M. Evaluating Driver Response and Ability to Avoid a Crash at Night Proceedings of the 1st Joint ITAI-EVU Conference Hinckley, Leicestershire, England 2009
- Kledus , R. , Bradac , A. , and Semela , M. 2010
- Martin , S.J. , Kelly , I.W. , and Saklofske , D.H. Suicide and Lunar Cycles: A Critical Review Over 28 Years Psychological Reports 71 3 787 795 1992
- Gutierrez-Garcia , J.M. and Tusell , F. Suicides and the Lunar Cycle Psychological Reports 80 1 243 250 1997
- Tasso , J. and Miller , E. The Effects of the Full Moon on Human Behavior The Journal of Psychology 93 1 81 83 1976
- Schoettle , B. , Sivak , M. , and Flannagan , M.J. 2001