Building a network-connected cloud sensor (MKI)
I’ve wanted to build a cloud sensor for years now, but never actually found the time to do it. So, after seeing IR sensors for something on the order of $5 a piece, I ordered a couple and thought that I’d give it a shot. This has undoubtedly been done by lots of other people, but I thought that I’d share some simple instructions on how to build your own. The theory We could get in to the theory of blackbodies (maybe later), but it is sufficient to say that… Clouds are warmer than a clear sky. The infrared spectrum of an object can tells us something about its temperature. If you can measure the temperature of the sky, you should be able to say something about whether it’s cloud-free or not. To measure the temperature we need some sort of contact-less thermometer that can be pointed at the sky (and ground, more on that later). What you need 2x…