Arkansas Sky Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Arkansas Sky Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-09-14.

This page is a summary of past forecasts. Even though it's based only on forecasts, some people use these pages as clue to a site's climate. But climate data based on actual observation should be preferred (if you can find it!).

Cloud, Transparency and Seeing forecasts are summarized individually. But because good observing conditions require a combination of minimum cloud cover, transparency and seeing, the individual forecast summaries can be difficult to interpret. The observing conditions section counts the combinations of conditions needed for common types of astronomical observation.

Observing Conditions

The following tables count the occurrence of the combinations of forecast and darkness conditions needed for different observations. Conditions are rated by by what percentage of the hours the observation would likely be attempted are usable.

Observation Type	Minimum conditions for hour to be usable				Out of hours
	Clear of Clouds	Transparency	Seeing	Sky Brightness
Planetary:	50%	(no limit)	Average	(no limit)	Nighttime Hours
Deep Sky:	70%	Average	(no limit)	5.9	Nighttime Hours
CCD Imaging:	70%	Below Average	Poor	(no limit)	Nighttime Hours

Percentages are of nighttime hours per month, or per year, when a particular observing conditions was met. Deep Sky percentages never exceed 50% because the moon is up half the time. Deep sky percentages are much lower for charts at high latitudes because of fewer dark hours in the summer.

Overall

By Month

Individual Forecasts

The length of each colored bar in the "occurrence of each Forecast" column is proportional to the number of times the chart forecast that color. The percentages are of the total number of hours per month, or per year, with a particular forecast. The colors as the same as those used in clear sky charts.

Note: Transparency probabilities are only counted for those hours that have 30% or less cloud cover. Seeing probabilities are only counted for those hours that have 80% or less cloud cover. If that's too tricky, try Observing Conditions instead.

Overall

		Occurrence of each Forecast	Data Points
Cloud Cover	Day	13% 6% 2 6% 4 4 4 4 5% 7% 45%	100141
	Night	13% 5% 2 5% 4 3 4 3 5% 6% 50%	97810
Transparency	Day	38% 6% 10% 24% 18% 4	99948
	Night	35% 5% 10% 24% 21% 5%	97674
Seeing	Day	15% 7% 21% 26% 23% 8%	15224
	Night	15% 6% 24% 34% 19% 2	24968

By Month

Percentage Cloud Cover SE (2006-)
Color Meanings: Overcast 90% covered 80% covered 70% covered 60% covered 50% covered 40% covered 30% covered 20% covered 10% covered Clear
Month	Days in Month		Occurrence of each Forecast	Data Points
January	1st to 10th	Day	19% 9% 2 6% 3 3 3 2 3 4 46%	2847
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 10% 2 6% 4 3 3 3 3 4 49%	2850
	21st to end	Day	25% 8% 2 4 2 2 2 2 3 4 46%	3135
February	1st to 10th	Day	23% 8% 2 5% 3 3 3 2 3 4 44%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 8% 2 7% 4 4 3 2 5% 4 43%	1780
	21st to end	Day	23% 9% 3 5% 3 3 3 3 4 5% 38%	1613
March	1st to 10th	Day	23% 8% 2 6% 4 4 3 3 3 4 39%	3436
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 6% 2 6% 4 3 4 3 5% 5% 48%	3480
	21st to end	Day	17% 8% 3 7% 4 4 4 2 4 4 43%	3814
April	1st to 10th	Day	15% 6% 2 6% 4 4 4 3 6% 7% 43%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 7% 2 5% 5% 4 4 3 5% 5% 44%	2254
	21st to end	Day	16% 7% 2 6% 5% 5% 4 4 5% 7% 40%	2280
May	1st to 10th	Day	17% 8% 3 7% 5% 4 4 4 5% 7% 36%	3765
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 6% 2 5% 4 4 5% 4 6% 9% 42%	4070
	21st to end	Day	14% 6% 3 8% 6% 5% 5% 5% 6% 8% 34%	4494
June	1st to 10th	Day	8% 5% 2 6% 5% 5% 6% 4 8% 9% 42%	2660
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 3 1 6% 5% 4 5% 5% 8% 10% 47%	2660
	21st to end	Day	4 4 1 5% 4 4 5% 5% 7% 9% 50%	2553
July	1st to 10th	Day	9% 5% 2 6% 5% 5% 5% 5% 7% 10% 41%	4120
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 4 1 4 3 4 4 5% 6% 9% 54%	4120
	21st to end	Day	10% 8% 3 8% 6% 5% 5% 4 7% 8% 35%	4465
August	1st to 10th	Day	4 3 1 4 3 3 3 4 5% 8% 61%	4104
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 5% 2 6% 4 4 5% 4 7% 10% 42%	3765
	21st to end	Day	5% 3 1 5% 4 4 5% 4 6% 8% 54%	4180
September	1st to 10th	Day	11% 6% 2 5% 4 4 5% 3 5% 8% 47%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 5% 2 5% 4 4 4 4 6% 9% 45%	2197
	21st to end	Day	10% 4 2 5% 3 4 4 3 5% 6% 54%	1882
October	1st to 10th	Day	8% 4 2 5% 4 3 3 4 5% 6% 57%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 4 2 4 2 3 3 2 4 5% 55%	1800
	21st to end	Day	19% 5% 2 6% 2 3 4 3 4 5% 49%	1980
November	1st to 10th	Day	13% 5% 2 4 2 3 2 2 4 5% 58%	1858
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 6% 2 4 3 3 4 2 4 6% 54%	1812
	21st to end	Day	21% 7% 2 4 4 3 3 2 4 5% 44%	1650
December	1st to 10th	Day	20% 6% 2 4 4 2 3 3 3 5% 48%	1520
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 8% 3 7% 5% 4 3 3 3 4 44%	1918
	21st to end	Day	16% 8% 3 9% 4 4 4 3 5% 6% 38%	3009
January	1st to 10th	Night	17% 6% 2 6% 4 4 3 3 4 5% 46%	4108
	11th to 20th	Night	16% 5% 1 4 3 3 3 2 3 5% 54%	4120
	21st to end	Night	25% 6% 2 4 3 3 2 2 3 4 47%	4532
February	1st to 10th	Night	21% 7% 3 5% 4 3 3 3 5% 5% 42%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 8% 2 6% 4 3 3 2 4 5% 46%	2285
	21st to end	Night	19% 7% 2 5% 3 3 4 3 4 5% 46%	1856
March	1st to 10th	Night	21% 8% 2 6% 3 3 3 3 4 5% 42%	3419
	11th to 20th	Night	16% 6% 2 5% 3 3 3 2 4 6% 50%	3480
	21st to end	Night	14% 6% 2 7% 4 4 3 4 4 7% 45%	3817
April	1st to 10th	Night	13% 5% 2 5% 3 3 4 3 5% 7% 50%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 5% 2 5% 3 4 4 4 5% 6% 49%	1875
	21st to end	Night	15% 6% 2 5% 4 4 4 3 6% 7% 46%	1900
May	1st to 10th	Night	18% 6% 2 7% 4 4 4 4 5% 7% 39%	3130
	11th to 20th	Night	16% 6% 3 6% 3 3 3 3 5% 8% 44%	2831
	21st to end	Night	14% 6% 2 6% 5% 5% 5% 4 5% 7% 40%	3064
June	1st to 10th	Night	5% 5% 2 4 3 4 4 4 7% 12% 52%	1520
	11th to 20th	Night	3 4 1 4 4 3 3 4 6% 9% 60%	1520
	21st to end	Night	3 3 1 3 4 3 4 3 6% 9% 60%	1618
July	1st to 10th	Night	8% 4 2 5% 4 4 5% 4 6% 10% 47%	2850
	11th to 20th	Night	4 3 1 4 3 3 4 4 5% 9% 61%	2850
	21st to end	Night	7% 7% 3 7% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 8% 42%	3098
August	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 1 4 3 3 4 2 6% 8% 66%	2836
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 3 2 5% 3 4 4 5% 6% 9% 55%	3062
	21st to end	Night	3 3 1 4 4 5% 4 4 6% 9% 56%	3476
September	1st to 10th	Night	6% 5% 2 5% 4 4 4 3 4 7% 55%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 6% 2 6% 3 3 4 3 5% 7% 52%	1840
	21st to end	Night	8% 4 2 3 2 3 3 3 5% 6% 61%	2056
October	1st to 10th	Night	8% 4 1 4 3 3 3 3 5% 7% 60%	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 3 2 4 3 3 3 2 3 4 61%	2160
	21st to end	Night	19% 5% 2 4 3 3 4 2 2 3 54%	2376
November	1st to 10th	Night	11% 5% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 3 5% 57%	2220
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 5% 1 3 3 2 3 2 4 6% 57%	2364
	21st to end	Night	16% 6% 2 5% 3 3 2 3 4 5% 50%	2527
December	1st to 10th	Night	19% 6% 2 5% 4 3 4 3 4 4 47%	2660
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 6% 3 5% 5% 3 3 3 4 4 49%	3279
	21st to end	Night	17% 7% 3 6% 5% 4 4 3 4 5% 42%	4651

Transparency (when cloud cover <= 30%)
Color Meanings: Too cloudy to forecast Poor Below Average Average Above average Transparent
Month	Days in Month		Occurrence of each Forecast	Data Points
January	1st to 10th	Day	44% 3 5% 25% 19% 3	2848
	11th to 20th	Day	41% 3 11% 22% 21% 3	2850
	21st to end	Day	44% 3 7% 18% 23% 5%	3135
February	1st to 10th	Day	47% 3 10% 21% 16% 3	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	45% 4 6% 20% 19% 5%	1789
	21st to end	Day	49% 4 8% 16% 15% 8%	1613
March	1st to 10th	Day	49% 4 7% 13% 17% 10%	3436
	11th to 20th	Day	40% 4 9% 24% 19% 4	3480
	21st to end	Day	45% 5% 8% 22% 19% 1	3814
April	1st to 10th	Day	40% 5% 8% 22% 22% 4	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	42% 5% 9% 22% 17% 6%	2254
	21st to end	Day	43% 6% 9% 22% 18% 2	2280
May	1st to 10th	Day	45% 8% 11% 20% 15% 2	3800
	11th to 20th	Day	36% 9% 14% 26% 14% 1	4074
	21st to end	Day	44% 9% 12% 21% 12% 2	4507
June	1st to 10th	Day	34% 8% 15% 25% 17% 1	2660
	11th to 20th	Day	28% 9% 17% 27% 18% 2	2660
	21st to end	Day	27% 8% 12% 28% 20% 4	2553
July	1st to 10th	Day	35% 8% 15% 29% 12% 1	4056
	11th to 20th	Day	25% 6% 10% 35% 23% 2	4051
	21st to end	Day	46% 8% 14% 23% 9% 1	4325
August	1st to 10th	Day	21% 6% 15% 31% 22% 6%	4090
	11th to 20th	Day	36% 7% 14% 30% 13% 1	3801
	21st to end	Day	26% 7% 11% 33% 20% 3	4179
September	1st to 10th	Day	35% 6% 11% 21% 18% 8%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	35% 7% 11% 19% 23% 5%	2197
	21st to end	Day	31% 6% 9% 19% 28% 7%	1882
October	1st to 10th	Day	28% 5% 9% 23% 27% 7%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	32% 3 6% 21% 28% 9%	1800
	21st to end	Day	38% 3 6% 24% 20% 9%	1980
November	1st to 10th	Day	30% 3 9% 26% 24% 8%	1858
	11th to 20th	Day	31% 4 7% 22% 27% 8%	1812
	21st to end	Day	43% 3 6% 19% 23% 5%	1650
December	1st to 10th	Day	41% 2 10% 25% 18% 5%	1520
	11th to 20th	Day	44% 4 5% 22% 20% 5%	1915
	21st to end	Day	45% 5% 9% 19% 16% 6%	3009
January	1st to 10th	Night	42% 3 6% 21% 26% 3	4108
	11th to 20th	Night	34% 4 11% 23% 25% 3	4120
	21st to end	Night	42% 3 10% 18% 22% 4	4532
February	1st to 10th	Night	45% 4 8% 20% 18% 5%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	43% 3 7% 21% 20% 6%	2286
	21st to end	Night	41% 3 7% 19% 21% 9%	1856
March	1st to 10th	Night	44% 6% 8% 14% 18% 11%	3419
	11th to 20th	Night	37% 4 8% 26% 19% 5%	3480
	21st to end	Night	39% 5% 10% 26% 19% 2	3817
April	1st to 10th	Night	34% 5% 9% 23% 20% 9%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	34% 6% 7% 23% 21% 9%	1875
	21st to end	Night	37% 5% 10% 23% 21% 3	1900
May	1st to 10th	Night	43% 7% 11% 23% 14% 3	3160
	11th to 20th	Night	38% 7% 14% 26% 15% 1	2832
	21st to end	Night	41% 8% 13% 23% 13% 2	3072
June	1st to 10th	Night	24% 7% 15% 30% 21% 2	1520
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 5% 12% 32% 27% 3	1520
	21st to end	Night	21% 6% 14% 28% 23% 7%	1618
July	1st to 10th	Night	31% 7% 16% 26% 18% 1	2805
	11th to 20th	Night	20% 6% 13% 33% 24% 4	2796
	21st to end	Night	38% 8% 14% 25% 14%	2999
August	1st to 10th	Night	16% 5% 16% 35% 24% 4	2826
	11th to 20th	Night	24% 6% 18% 33% 16% 2	3092
	21st to end	Night	24% 6% 12% 30% 25% 3	3476
September	1st to 10th	Night	28% 6% 11% 25% 21% 9%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	32% 6% 10% 20% 26% 7%	1840
	21st to end	Night	25% 5% 9% 22% 30% 9%	2056
October	1st to 10th	Night	25% 5% 10% 24% 25% 11%	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	29% 4 6% 19% 33% 10%	2160
	21st to end	Night	38% 3 5% 20% 25% 10%	2376
November	1st to 10th	Night	30% 4 8% 23% 26% 9%	2220
	11th to 20th	Night	30% 3 6% 25% 27% 9%	2364
	21st to end	Night	37% 3 7% 21% 26% 5%	2527
December	1st to 10th	Night	41% 4 9% 20% 21% 6%	2660
	11th to 20th	Night	40% 3 6% 21% 24% 5%	3281
	21st to end	Night	43% 4 9% 23% 18% 3	4651

Seeing (when cloud cover <= 80%)
Color Meanings: Too cloudy to forecast Bad 1/5 Poor 2/5 Average 3/5 Good 4/5 Excellent 5/5
Month	Days in Month		Occurrence of each Forecast	Data Points
January	1st to 10th	Day	26% 10% 31% 24% 8% 1	270
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 16% 39% 18% 3	270
	21st to end	Day	19% 18% 38% 19% 7%	297
February	1st to 10th	Day	27% 13% 36% 17% 7% 1	270
	11th to 20th	Day	23% 22% 34% 18% 3 1	270
	21st to end	Day	37% 14% 31% 14% 4	225
March	1st to 10th	Day	24% 14% 31% 23% 7%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	25% 17% 37% 20% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	25% 16% 40% 13% 4 1	297
April	1st to 10th	Day	21% 13% 32% 24% 9% 1	460
	11th to 20th	Day	23% 12% 31% 23% 10%	452
	21st to end	Day	19% 11% 31% 26% 11% 2	460
May	1st to 10th	Day	18% 10% 29% 29% 13% 1	463
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 5% 22% 32% 19% 6%	663
	21st to end	Day	10% 5% 22% 34% 23% 6%	734
June	1st to 10th	Day	9% 4 15% 28% 32% 13%	680
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 1 11% 36% 34% 11%	680
	21st to end	Day	5% 2 15% 35% 30% 13%	680
July	1st to 10th	Day	7% 3 9% 28% 39% 15%	671
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 2 10% 31% 31% 21%	668
	21st to end	Day	8% 1 9% 26% 38% 18%	739
August	1st to 10th	Day	8% 1 10% 31% 36% 14%	676
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 3 7% 24% 38% 12%	503
	21st to end	Day	9% 1 6% 19% 41% 23%	539
September	1st to 10th	Day	10% 3 11% 21% 40% 16%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 2 11% 24% 37% 15%	463
	21st to end	Day	11% 4 13% 35% 27% 10%	280
October	1st to 10th	Day	8% 3 24% 31% 27% 7%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 8% 30% 29% 14% 3	270
	21st to end	Day	26% 10% 27% 22% 12% 2	297
November	1st to 10th	Day	15% 9% 30% 26% 19% 2	270
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 11% 33% 32% 10% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	24% 12% 29% 21% 12% 1	270
December	1st to 10th	Day	21% 16% 32% 18% 11% 2	270
	11th to 20th	Day	26% 14% 29% 20% 10%	270
	21st to end	Day	24% 14% 37% 21% 4	297
January	1st to 10th	Night	22% 8% 34% 31% 5%	950
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 10% 35% 29% 4	950
	21st to end	Night	20% 8% 38% 31% 4	1045
February	1st to 10th	Night	23% 11% 32% 30% 4	950
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 10% 40% 28% 2	810
	21st to end	Night	22% 13% 39% 24% 2	600
March	1st to 10th	Night	20% 9% 32% 34% 4	570
	11th to 20th	Night	20% 10% 33% 32% 5% 1	570
	21st to end	Night	19% 8% 36% 30% 8%	627
April	1st to 10th	Night	15% 10% 35% 31% 7%	570
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 9% 35% 32% 9% 1	563
	21st to end	Night	16% 6% 35% 32% 10%	570
May	1st to 10th	Night	15% 4 24% 45% 12%	570
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 5% 26% 31% 21% 2	561
	21st to end	Night	10% 3 16% 41% 26% 4	617
June	1st to 10th	Night	6% 3 11% 40% 36% 4	570
	11th to 20th	Night	4 1 7% 46% 39% 3	570
	21st to end	Night	4 1 8% 38% 42% 6%	570
July	1st to 10th	Night	6% 1 8% 33% 45% 8%	555
	11th to 20th	Night	4 1 6% 33% 47% 9%	552
	21st to end	Night	5% 1 6% 33% 45% 9%	624
August	1st to 10th	Night	3 1 6% 37% 46% 7%	567
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 1 6% 38% 41% 6%	564
	21st to end	Night	6% 1 7% 29% 50% 7%	627
September	1st to 10th	Night	8% 1 6% 38% 44% 4	570
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 1 9% 37% 40% 3	552
	21st to end	Night	9% 2 13% 36% 37% 3	630
October	1st to 10th	Night	9% 2 16% 36% 33% 3	720
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 4 26% 38% 19%	720
	21st to end	Night	20% 6% 25% 32% 16% 1	792
November	1st to 10th	Night	13% 5% 24% 41% 17% 1	740
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 8% 28% 38% 12%	760
	21st to end	Night	17% 10% 28% 32% 13%	817
December	1st to 10th	Night	22% 6% 30% 35% 7%	950
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 9% 26% 36% 6%	950
	21st to end	Night	21% 11% 31% 30% 5%	1045

Page generated at 2024-09-11 09:00:07. Version ac07

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