Media

Clouds play a pivotal role in weather forecasts. They give clues about the weather, such as whether rain is imminent. The amount of cloud cover, measured in oktas, has been recorded by human observers worldwide. Total sky imagers, which are devices for visible sky monitoring, are used for recording the state of the sky in 360° for analysis of cloud cover and types using computer programmes.

The Faculty of Engineering of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO), and the Hong Kong Meteorological Society (HKMetS) jointly organised the "Total Sky Imager Design Competition". The competition is the first of its kind in Hong Kong with a primary objective to enhance knowledge of and interest in information technology and instrumentation among the young generation.  It also aims at enhancing young generations’ appreciation of the nature through creating time-lapse total sky videos. It is under the project titled "Cloud Appreciation: Imaging the Sky" which was supported by the Knowledge Exchange Fund of the University Grant Committee. Through this competition, the organisers hope to raise public awareness and preparedness on weather impacts and climate change through visible sky monitoring and cloud and weather observations.

Over 175 participants from primary and secondary schools ranging from Primary 4 to Secondary 6 joined the competition. They were required to design and make their own total sky imagers and obtain cloud cover readings at different time periods. Primary school teams were also required to make time-lapse videos using the total sky imagers they made. In December 2020, a series of engineering and meteorological lectures were organised for participants to enhance their understanding of cloud observation and total sky imaging, enabling them to make innovative total sky imagers.

The participants gathered on July 3, 2021 at the Hong Kong Observatory Headquarters for result announcements and the Award Presentation Ceremony.

At the award presentation ceremony, the HKU Dean of Engineering, Professor Christopher Chao said: "I hope this competition can arouse student’s creativity and innovation and inspire them to study engineering."

Also officiating at the ceremony, the Director of Hong Kong Observatory and the Chairman of HKMetS, Dr Cheng Cho Ming said: "The Observatory always encourages young people to be creative and have an innovative mind.  The competition received overwhelming responses and many of the submissions were of novel design.  I believe the competition has enabled students to better understand technology applications and weather observations”.

For the list of awards and photos from the “Total Sky Imager Design Competition”: http://www.cs.hku.hk/~sky/AwardWinnerList-English.php

For more press materials and photos, please click here.

Media enquiries:
Dr. Ivy Wong, Project Coordinator (E-mail: kywong@cs.hku.hk)