About Skydust
A closer connection to the night.
An independent project for exploring, planning and measuring the night sky across the UAE.
The person behind Skydust
P. Sekulic is an engineer with 25 years of experience in space and astronomy telescopes and instrumentation.
Professional background on LinkedIn
Skydust brings that interest in light and measurement to observing in the UAE: helping people understand what they can see, plan a night outside and contribute to a better record of the local sky.
Explore, plan and measure
The planetarium shows a calculated sky, including planets, satellites and optional phone-direction and camera views. Use the night planner and current forecast to compare observing times. The imagery and forecasts are estimates, not detections or field measurements.
The SQM map is a separate record of approved contributed measurements. Read the measurement routine before contributing, and the privacy notice for permissions, saved choices and what becomes public.
How we approach the information
Our guides draw on scientific publications, official sources and documented calculations. We distinguish model forecasts and illustrative views from field measurements, and explain the assumptions and limitations that matter when planning an observation.
Use the methodology and data sources to check how the tools work. Dates, weather and local access can change; check the latest information before a trip. If you notice an error or have a measurement to discuss, contact info@skydust.ae.
Explore
The planetarium helps you find stars, planets and the Milky Way for a chosen place and time.
Open planetarium →Plan
Forecast conditions help you choose when and where to observe. They remain estimates, with their sources and limitations visible.
Plan tonight →Measure
Reviewed SQM readings build a record of how bright the sky was, with the observing conditions kept alongside each measurement.
Explore the measurements →Built on evidence.
Forecasts, observations and illustrative views serve different purposes. A realistic-looking image is not proof of accurate local conditions; field measurements help test the model.
Read the method →Sources & attribution →Keep the night worth observing.
Repeated measurements can document changes in the night environment. Explore the dark-sky policy context and Skydust’s proposed monitoring approach.
Dark skies & monitoring →