&lt;p&gt;The principal objective of the OCULLAR project is to pair a PMT with a SiP microradiometer where their overlapping sensitivities maximize the dynamic range at each wavelength to create a new hybrid sensor class, called a &lt;em&gt;hybridnamic multitecto&lt;/em&gt;r.&amp;nbsp; Ultimately, hybridnamic multitectors will feature up to 14 decades of dynamic range, spanning the UV to near-infrared (NIR), depending on the photocathode material of the PMT, and will be used to measure the AOPs of the ocean and atmosphere. AOP measurements, by definition, require a light source. Typically, the Sun is used because it provides sufficient flux across an extensive spectral domain for a wide diversity of detectors. Although some measurements have been made using the Moon as a light source, in general, the diurnal cycle of oceanic and atmospheric optical parameters are poorly understood, because of the paucity of instruments that can make high-quality observations in low-light conditions. Similarly, observations in highly turbid conditions are sparse, because signal levels quickly reach the noise level of existing detector systems. The inability to make accurate measurements at low-light levels has restricted the understanding of other important light-based phenomena. This means high latitude processes can be investigated during the substantial time of the year when light levels are restricted to twilight, moonlight, or very low solar elevations. Other areas of new research using OCULLAR sensors include the study of coral spawning, plankton vertical migration, bioluminescence, the onset of the spring bloom under polar ice sheets, characterization of the environment experienced by pelagic predators (e.g., tuna and squid), plus the use of very narrow bandwidths to exploit specific spectral signatures of oceanic and atmospheric phenomena. Although the prototype sensor is anticipated to be deployed into the ocean, recent advances in exploiting microradiometers for airborne applications (e.g., C-AIR flights with Ames Research Center), suggests &lt;em&gt;Ocean Color at Night&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;Validating the Black Marble&lt;/em&gt; using OCULLAR sensors are tractable problems.&lt;/p&gt;