Bell Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Bell Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-11-04.

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% 7% 3 7% 5% 4 5% 4 6% 7% 40%	101109
	Night	13% 7% 3 6% 4 4 4 3 5% 7% 43%	97916
Transparency	Day	40% 6% 10% 24% 17% 3	104817
	Night	39% 6% 10% 23% 18% 4	102347
Seeing	Day	16% 10% 23% 24% 18% 9%	15271
	Night	17% 9% 24% 30% 18% 2	24997

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	13% 13% 6% 10% 6% 6% 5% 3 4 4 30%	2527
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 10% 3 10% 7% 4 5% 2 4 4 33%	2557
	21st to end	Day	24% 12% 7% 6% 4 3 3 3 4 6% 29%	3348
February	1st to 10th	Day	18% 11% 3 8% 4 4 3 3 5% 6% 34%	1900
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 10% 3 7% 5% 3 4 3 4 6% 35%	1848
	21st to end	Day	18% 12% 4 7% 4 3 3 3 5% 6% 36%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	23% 12% 3 7% 4 3 4 3 4 5% 32%	3120
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 7% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 48%	3340
	21st to end	Day	12% 7% 3 7% 5% 4 4 4 5% 6% 42%	4023
April	1st to 10th	Day	13% 7% 2 7% 5% 4 4 3 5% 7% 43%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 8% 3 7% 4 4 4 4 5% 6% 42%	2254
	21st to end	Day	15% 7% 3 6% 5% 5% 4 4 5% 7% 40%	2348
May	1st to 10th	Day	17% 8% 2 7% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 8% 33%	4082
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 8% 3 7% 4 4 4 3 6% 8% 37%	4081
	21st to end	Day	11% 6% 3 7% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 9% 40%	4476
June	1st to 10th	Day	9% 5% 2 6% 4 5% 5% 5% 7% 9% 42%	2533
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 4 2 4 4 5% 6% 6% 7% 10% 45%	2660
	21st to end	Day	6% 4 1 5% 6% 5% 6% 6% 8% 11% 42%	2660
July	1st to 10th	Day	8% 6% 2 8% 6% 6% 6% 5% 7% 9% 38%	4440
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 5% 3 6% 5% 5% 6% 5% 6% 11% 41%	4418
	21st to end	Day	15% 10% 4 10% 6% 6% 5% 5% 6% 7% 25%	4466
August	1st to 10th	Day	5% 4 1 4 3 4 5% 4 7% 10% 53%	3987
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 5% 2 7% 5% 6% 6% 5% 7% 10% 40%	3729
	21st to end	Day	5% 4 2 4 5% 5% 5% 4 7% 9% 52%	4180
September	1st to 10th	Day	12% 7% 2 6% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 8% 40%	2251
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 6% 2 6% 4 6% 4 3 5% 7% 44%	2090
	21st to end	Day	11% 6% 3 6% 4 3 4 3 5% 6% 49%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	9% 4 2 5% 4 3 3 3 4 6% 55%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 5% 1 6% 4 4 3 2 4 6% 53%	2036
	21st to end	Day	18% 6% 2 6% 3 3 3 3 4 5% 46%	1881
November	1st to 10th	Day	11% 5% 2 5% 3 3 2 3 4 6% 55%	1699
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 7% 3 5% 3 3 4 3 5% 6% 47%	1710
	21st to end	Day	16% 8% 2 6% 3 4 3 3 6% 4 45%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	20% 10% 2 6% 4 4 3 4 5% 5% 37%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 11% 4 7% 5% 4 5% 3 5% 6% 35%	2153
	21st to end	Day	17% 13% 4 7% 5% 5% 5% 4 5% 7% 28%	2862
January	1st to 10th	Night	17% 11% 4 7% 5% 3 4 3 5% 6% 35%	4428
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 13% 3 9% 6% 5% 4 3 4 4 32%	4407
	21st to end	Night	23% 12% 4 6% 4 3 4 2 4 5% 33%	4304
February	1st to 10th	Night	21% 10% 4 9% 5% 4 4 3 4 5% 33%	2280
	11th to 20th	Night	20% 9% 3 8% 5% 4 4 2 4 5% 37%	2218
	21st to end	Night	23% 9% 4 8% 4 3 3 4 4 6% 32%	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	23% 11% 2 7% 5% 4 4 3 4 5% 32%	3733
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 7% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 49%	3618
	21st to end	Night	14% 7% 3 7% 5% 4 4 3 5% 6% 42%	3637
April	1st to 10th	Night	11% 6% 2 5% 3 4 5% 4 5% 8% 46%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 6% 2 6% 4 3 5% 3 5% 6% 45%	1875
	21st to end	Night	12% 8% 3 6% 4 5% 3 4 6% 8% 40%	1829
May	1st to 10th	Night	15% 9% 3 8% 5% 4 4 4 5% 7% 38%	2813
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 7% 3 7% 5% 4 4 4 6% 8% 40%	2812
	21st to end	Night	7% 5% 2 7% 6% 5% 5% 5% 7% 10% 42%	3079
June	1st to 10th	Night	10% 6% 2 6% 3 4 4 5% 6% 8% 47%	1642
	11th to 20th	Night	4 3 2 4 4 4 4 4 7% 10% 55%	1520
	21st to end	Night	3 3 1 4 5% 5% 6% 4 8% 12% 49%	1520
July	1st to 10th	Night	6% 4 2 6% 4 5% 5% 5% 8% 10% 44%	2530
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 4 2 5% 4 4 4 4 7% 9% 51%	2547
	21st to end	Night	10% 9% 4 12% 6% 7% 7% 5% 6% 7% 29%	3087
August	1st to 10th	Night	4 3 1 4 3 3 4 3 6% 8% 61%	2938
	11th to 20th	Night	4 3 2 5% 4 5% 6% 4 8% 11% 49%	3100
	21st to end	Night	4 3 1 4 3 3 4 3 6% 9% 60%	3476
September	1st to 10th	Night	10% 5% 1 5% 4 4 5% 4 4 6% 51%	1909
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 5% 2 7% 3 3 4 4 5% 8% 49%	2090
	21st to end	Night	11% 5% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 53%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	9% 4 1 3 2 3 3 2 4 6% 62%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 6% 2 5% 2 3 3 3 4 6% 52%	2142
	21st to end	Night	14% 7% 2 5% 4 3 3 3 5% 6% 48%	2717
November	1st to 10th	Night	11% 4 2 4 4 3 3 3 5% 6% 54%	2452
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 7% 1 4 3 4 3 3 5% 7% 49%	2470
	21st to end	Night	16% 8% 2 5% 3 4 3 3 4 5% 46%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	19% 12% 3 6% 5% 4 4 3 4 5% 34%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 9% 4 7% 4 4 4 3 4 6% 38%	3042
	21st to end	Night	17% 11% 4 10% 6% 5% 5% 3 5% 5% 27%	4797

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	57% 5% 7% 20% 10% 1	2528
	11th to 20th	Day	56% 5% 7% 21% 12% 1	2557
	21st to end	Day	57% 4 8% 22% 7% 1	3348
February	1st to 10th	Day	52% 4 9% 21% 13% 2	1900
	11th to 20th	Day	52% 4 7% 20% 14% 3	1858
	21st to end	Day	49% 4 9% 18% 15% 5%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	55% 5% 5% 17% 13% 5%	3120
	11th to 20th	Day	37% 5% 10% 27% 17% 4	3340
	21st to end	Day	41% 6% 11% 25% 15% 1	4023
April	1st to 10th	Day	40% 6% 11% 23% 18% 2	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	42% 5% 9% 22% 20% 3	2254
	21st to end	Day	43% 6% 11% 25% 14% 2	2348
May	1st to 10th	Day	46% 9% 13% 21% 10% 1	4120
	11th to 20th	Day	44% 8% 10% 24% 13% 1	4085
	21st to end	Day	39% 8% 12% 20% 19% 2	4489
June	1st to 10th	Day	38% 7% 11% 23% 19% 2	2533
	11th to 20th	Day	29% 10% 16% 24% 18% 2	2660
	21st to end	Day	31% 10% 16% 22% 17% 4	2660
July	1st to 10th	Day	39% 9% 16% 23% 12% 2	4371
	11th to 20th	Day	34% 8% 15% 31% 10% 2	4343
	21st to end	Day	55% 9% 11% 17% 7% 2	4324
August	1st to 10th	Day	24% 8% 15% 34% 20%	3974
	11th to 20th	Day	36% 9% 12% 26% 17% 1	3765
	21st to end	Day	26% 8% 10% 34% 19% 2	4179
September	1st to 10th	Day	39% 9% 10% 19% 19% 4	2251
	11th to 20th	Day	38% 6% 10% 23% 21% 2	2090
	21st to end	Day	35% 6% 10% 23% 22% 4	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	20% 4 6% 17% 47% 6%	3480
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 4 7% 27% 31% 8%	3355
	21st to end	Day	30% 3 6% 27% 27% 7%	3081
November	1st to 10th	Day	31% 4 8% 24% 27% 5%	1699
	11th to 20th	Day	38% 4 8% 23% 22% 6%	1710
	21st to end	Day	42% 4 8% 24% 19% 4	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	48% 5% 9% 23% 13% 2	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	48% 5% 11% 20% 14% 2	2150
	21st to end	Day	54% 6% 11% 19% 9%	2862
January	1st to 10th	Night	48% 6% 8% 23% 13% 1	4428
	11th to 20th	Night	57% 4 6% 17% 13% 3	4407
	21st to end	Night	54% 4 8% 20% 12% 1	4304
February	1st to 10th	Night	55% 4 9% 18% 13% 1	2280
	11th to 20th	Night	51% 4 7% 20% 14% 4	2219
	21st to end	Night	54% 5% 8% 14% 15% 3	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	53% 5% 8% 15% 15% 4	3733
	11th to 20th	Night	35% 6% 10% 26% 13% 10%	3618
	21st to end	Night	43% 5% 10% 24% 16% 1	3637
April	1st to 10th	Night	34% 6% 11% 26% 19% 3	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	39% 5% 10% 18% 22% 6%	1875
	21st to end	Night	41% 6% 10% 25% 17% 2	1829
May	1st to 10th	Night	44% 9% 12% 23% 11% 1	2840
	11th to 20th	Night	40% 8% 13% 23% 15% 1	2813
	21st to end	Night	34% 10% 15% 22% 17% 2	3087
June	1st to 10th	Night	34% 7% 13% 26% 17% 4	1642
	11th to 20th	Night	23% 7% 15% 29% 23% 3	1520
	21st to end	Night	25% 10% 17% 27% 14% 7%	1520
July	1st to 10th	Night	30% 9% 16% 30% 12% 2	2490
	11th to 20th	Night	27% 8% 14% 35% 14% 2	2499
	21st to end	Night	51% 10% 12% 17% 8% 1	2988
August	1st to 10th	Night	21% 6% 12% 39% 22% 1	2927
	11th to 20th	Night	26% 10% 18% 29% 16% 1	3130
	21st to end	Night	20% 7% 12% 37% 23% 3	3476
September	1st to 10th	Night	32% 8% 10% 23% 22% 6%	1909
	11th to 20th	Night	33% 4 9% 26% 22% 5%	2090
	21st to end	Night	31% 5% 8% 24% 25% 7%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	17% 4 6% 17% 46% 10%	3480
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 3 5% 24% 36% 11%	3562
	21st to end	Night	27% 4 7% 23% 28% 11%	4467
November	1st to 10th	Night	32% 5% 7% 24% 25% 6%	2452
	11th to 20th	Night	35% 5% 7% 23% 23% 8%	2470
	21st to end	Night	41% 4 7% 25% 19% 4	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	52% 4 10% 20% 13% 2	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	46% 5% 9% 20% 17% 3	3044
	21st to end	Night	57% 6% 9% 17% 10% 1	4797

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	24% 19% 33% 17% 6% 1	270
	11th to 20th	Day	33% 22% 29% 11% 5%	270
	21st to end	Day	22% 22% 40% 13% 3	297
February	1st to 10th	Day	27% 20% 36% 13% 3 1	270
	11th to 20th	Day	34% 20% 34% 10% 3	270
	21st to end	Day	33% 20% 32% 13% 1	225
March	1st to 10th	Day	28% 23% 31% 16% 2	270
	11th to 20th	Day	27% 18% 34% 15% 6% 1	372
	21st to end	Day	23% 16% 37% 16% 8% 1	506
April	1st to 10th	Day	20% 21% 25% 25% 8% 1	460
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 15% 29% 24% 10% 2	452
	21st to end	Day	20% 13% 33% 20% 10% 3	460
May	1st to 10th	Day	19% 16% 27% 23% 11% 4	463
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 8% 25% 29% 13% 9%	487
	21st to end	Day	11% 5% 22% 30% 19% 14%	529
June	1st to 10th	Day	11% 5% 21% 25% 24% 14%	553
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 4 17% 32% 27% 14%	680
	21st to end	Day	7% 3 20% 34% 25% 13%	680
July	1st to 10th	Day	11% 3 13% 26% 27% 19%	671
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 4 15% 25% 30% 18%	659
	21st to end	Day	11% 3 13% 28% 26% 18%	532
August	1st to 10th	Day	12% 2 10% 27% 31% 17%	486
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 4 13% 31% 30% 10%	479
	21st to end	Day	10% 2 7% 25% 32% 24%	539
September	1st to 10th	Day	13% 2 12% 28% 32% 14%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 3 11% 26% 33% 15%	490
	21st to end	Day	14% 8% 19% 24% 25% 10%	490
October	1st to 10th	Day	10% 3 19% 31% 29% 9%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 10% 31% 25% 13% 5%	445
	21st to end	Day	24% 14% 26% 26% 9% 1	330
November	1st to 10th	Day	14% 11% 32% 27% 14% 3	279
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 20% 32% 24% 8%	270
	21st to end	Day	23% 14% 30% 20% 12% 1	270
December	1st to 10th	Day	23% 19% 31% 19% 8% 1	270
	11th to 20th	Day	23% 16% 32% 22% 7%	270
	21st to end	Day	27% 18% 35% 16% 3	297
January	1st to 10th	Night	22% 17% 32% 24% 5%	950
	11th to 20th	Night	27% 17% 29% 22% 4	930
	21st to end	Night	24% 14% 38% 22% 2	836
February	1st to 10th	Night	28% 14% 33% 21% 4	760
	11th to 20th	Night	27% 16% 34% 21% 2	743
	21st to end	Night	27% 15% 37% 19% 2	628
March	1st to 10th	Night	24% 12% 30% 28% 6%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 15% 32% 25% 6% 1	760
	21st to end	Night	20% 14% 29% 29% 7%	733
April	1st to 10th	Night	14% 14% 32% 31% 9%	570
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 10% 31% 28% 11% 1	563
	21st to end	Night	16% 8% 34% 31% 10% 1	570
May	1st to 10th	Night	16% 7% 31% 29% 16% 3	570
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 6% 22% 37% 19% 4	561
	21st to end	Night	6% 2 19% 38% 30% 5%	617
June	1st to 10th	Night	12% 3 16% 36% 29% 4	570
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 1 9% 43% 38% 3	570
	21st to end	Night	5% 2 14% 40% 33% 7%	570
July	1st to 10th	Night	9% 2 9% 30% 41% 10%	555
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 3 9% 28% 46% 7%	552
	21st to end	Night	9% 3 10% 35% 37% 6%	624
August	1st to 10th	Night	8% 2 5% 35% 44% 7%	567
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 1 8% 43% 37% 4	564
	21st to end	Night	7% 1 5% 30% 49% 7%	627
September	1st to 10th	Night	11% 1 10% 31% 41% 4	579
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 3 9% 32% 39% 6%	760
	21st to end	Night	13% 4 16% 31% 31% 5%	760
October	1st to 10th	Night	10% 4 16% 36% 29% 4	760
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 7% 24% 32% 18% 2	760
	21st to end	Night	16% 8% 31% 29% 15% 1	836
November	1st to 10th	Night	14% 7% 26% 35% 17% 2	755
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 10% 31% 29% 11%	760
	21st to end	Night	19% 12% 27% 30% 11% 1	760
December	1st to 10th	Night	25% 11% 29% 28% 6%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	23% 11% 31% 27% 7% 1	760
	21st to end	Night	27% 13% 31% 25% 4	997

Page generated at 2024-11-01 21:47:29. Version ac07

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