Red Mountain Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Red Mountain Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2025-05-11.

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	3 3 1 3 2 3 3 3 4 6% 69%	118457
	Night	4 3 1 3 3 3 3 3 4 6% 68%	119460
Transparency	Day	15% 4 7% 17% 27% 29%	118224
	Night	17% 4 7% 18% 27% 26%	119283
Seeing	Day	5% 11% 26% 34% 20% 4	15724
	Night	5% 5% 20% 41% 27% 3	25984

By Month

Percentage Cloud Cover SW (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	4 3 2 3 3 3 4 3 5% 5% 64%	4098
	11th to 20th	Day	4 3 1 3 2 2 3 2 3 6% 71%	4100
	21st to end	Day	9% 6% 2 4 3 4 4 2 4 6% 57%	4510
February	1st to 10th	Day	7% 4 1 3 2 3 2 3 4 7% 63%	1899
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 6% 2 3 2 3 3 3 4 6% 62%	1950
	21st to end	Day	7% 6% 1 3 3 3 3 3 5% 5% 61%	1650
March	1st to 10th	Day	6% 6% 2 5% 4 4 3 3 5% 6% 56%	4684
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 6% 1 4 3 4 5% 4 5% 8% 53%	5000
	21st to end	Day	4 5% 2 5% 4 4 4 4 6% 8% 54%	5486
April	1st to 10th	Day	3 4 1 4 3 3 3 4 5% 8% 63%	2240
	11th to 20th	Day	4 3 1 3 2 3 3 3 5% 6% 68%	2432
	21st to end	Day	4 3 1 3 3 2 3 2 4 6% 70%	2600
May	1st to 10th	Day	3 2 1 3 2 2 3 3 4 5% 71%	4240
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 4 6% 74%	4073
	21st to end	Day	2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 5% 78%	4477
June	1st to 10th	Day	1 2 2 1 2 2 2 3 6% 78%	2470
	11th to 20th	Day	1 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 3 4 80%	2470
	21st to end	Day	1 1 1 2 1 2 2 3 4 82%	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 1 2 1 2 2 3 4 84%	4110
	11th to 20th	Day	2 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 5% 7% 72%	4110
	21st to end	Day	2 2 1 3 3 3 4 3 6% 7% 66%	4454
August	1st to 10th	Day	2 1 1 3 2 2 3 3 5% 8% 71%	4092
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 2 1 2 3 3 4 5% 78%	4028
	21st to end	Day	2 1 1 1 2 2 2 4 5% 78%	4217
September	1st to 10th	Day	3 2 1 3 2 2 3 2 4 6% 71%	2119
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 2 1 2 2 1 3 4 82%	2090
	21st to end	Day	2 2 1 2 1 1 2 2 3 5% 80%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	3 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 4 82%	3490
	11th to 20th	Day	1 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 4 5% 78%	3192
	21st to end	Day	1 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 80%	3383
November	1st to 10th	Day	4 4 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 7% 72%	1764
	11th to 20th	Day	3 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 4 4 76%	1800
	21st to end	Day	5% 4 1 4 2 2 3 3 4 6% 66%	1800
December	1st to 10th	Day	3 3 1 3 2 2 3 3 6% 6% 68%	2950
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 4 1 4 4 3 4 4 6% 8% 58%	3409
	21st to end	Day	5% 4 1 4 4 4 4 4 5% 9% 56%	4510
January	1st to 10th	Night	4 4 2 4 3 3 3 2 3 5% 67%	5867
	11th to 20th	Night	3 3 1 3 2 2 3 3 4 5% 71%	5880
	21st to end	Night	9% 6% 2 4 4 3 3 3 5% 6% 57%	6468
February	1st to 10th	Night	6% 5% 1 3 3 3 3 3 4 6% 62%	2499
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 5% 2 3 3 3 3 3 5% 5% 61%	2338
	21st to end	Night	8% 7% 1 4 2 3 3 3 5% 6% 58%	1980
March	1st to 10th	Night	7% 5% 1 5% 3 3 3 3 5% 7% 57%	5208
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 6% 2 7% 5% 5% 5% 3 6% 7% 47%	5000
	21st to end	Night	6% 4 1 3 3 3 4 3 5% 6% 62%	5489
April	1st to 10th	Night	4 4 1 3 2 3 3 3 6% 6% 65%	2155
	11th to 20th	Night	2 4 1 3 2 3 2 3 4 7% 69%	1913
	21st to end	Night	4 2 1 3 2 2 3 3 6% 9% 66%	1800
May	1st to 10th	Night	4 3 1 3 2 2 3 3 3 5% 71%	2950
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 75%	2838
	21st to end	Night	3 3 2 2 3 3 2 3 5% 73%	3110
June	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 1 2 2 2 2 4 7% 77%	1710
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 5% 80%	1710
	21st to end	Night	1 1 1 1 1 2 2 4 5% 81%	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 4 83%	2860
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 4 4 3 3 4 6% 8% 64%	2860
	21st to end	Night	3 2 1 4 4 4 5% 4 7% 8% 59%	3109
August	1st to 10th	Night	2 1 1 3 3 3 4 3 5% 7% 70%	2847
	11th to 20th	Night	2 1 1 1 2 2 3 5% 6% 76%	2811
	21st to end	Night	2 1 1 2 2 2 3 4 4 78%	3456
September	1st to 10th	Night	3 1 1 3 2 2 3 2 5% 7% 71%	2061
	11th to 20th	Night	3 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 80%	2090
	21st to end	Night	2 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 3 4 80%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 3 82%	3490
	11th to 20th	Night	2 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 6% 74%	3737
	21st to end	Night	3 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 4 5% 76%	4170
November	1st to 10th	Night	4 3 1 3 2 2 2 2 3 5% 72%	2535
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 4 6% 73%	2600
	21st to end	Night	5% 3 1 3 3 3 2 2 4 7% 67%	2600
December	1st to 10th	Night	5% 2 1 3 2 2 3 3 4 6% 68%	4240
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 3 1 3 2 2 3 3 5% 10% 61%	4811
	21st to end	Night	5% 4 2 5% 4 3 3 3 5% 7% 58%	6468

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	19% 7% 13% 30% 25% 5%	4099
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 4 11% 22% 32% 16%	4100
	21st to end	Day	29% 4 8% 23% 29% 7%	4510
February	1st to 10th	Day	22% 5% 11% 23% 28% 11%	1899
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 5% 7% 26% 27% 14%	1960
	21st to end	Day	23% 6% 9% 19% 31% 13%	1650
March	1st to 10th	Day	22% 6% 8% 19% 32% 13%	4684
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 7% 9% 25% 26% 9%	5000
	21st to end	Day	21% 7% 11% 25% 25% 11%	5486
April	1st to 10th	Day	18% 6% 7% 20% 27% 22%	2240
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 3 6% 17% 31% 27%	2435
	21st to end	Day	15% 3 6% 17% 38% 21%	2600
May	1st to 10th	Day	12% 5% 6% 13% 33% 32%	4240
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 4 7% 13% 33% 36%	4076
	21st to end	Day	9% 3 5% 10% 34% 40%	4477
June	1st to 10th	Day	8% 2 4 10% 27% 48%	2470
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 3 4 6% 17% 62%	2470
	21st to end	Day	6% 2 3 5% 18% 67%	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	7% 2 3 5% 8% 75%	4046
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 3 5% 10% 23% 47%	4041
	21st to end	Day	13% 5% 8% 15% 19% 39%	4314
August	1st to 10th	Day	12% 4 6% 15% 31% 32%	4078
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 4 8% 14% 21% 45%	4067
	21st to end	Day	8% 4 4 11% 18% 55%	4216
September	1st to 10th	Day	14% 4 7% 9% 21% 46%	2119
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 3 4 13% 25% 47%	2090
	21st to end	Day	10% 3 4 11% 29% 43%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	8% 3 3 10% 20% 56%	3490
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 3 5% 17% 33% 32%	3192
	21st to end	Day	11% 2 5% 16% 41% 25%	3383
November	1st to 10th	Day	14% 3 5% 21% 35% 22%	1764
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 3 8% 19% 41% 16%	1800
	21st to end	Day	20% 3 8% 20% 35% 15%	1800
December	1st to 10th	Day	17% 4 9% 28% 32% 12%	2950
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 6% 11% 31% 28% 3	3408
	21st to end	Day	24% 6% 15% 29% 23% 4	4510
January	1st to 10th	Night	20% 4 8% 35% 27% 6%	5867
	11th to 20th	Night	16% 4 10% 24% 28% 18%	5880
	21st to end	Night	27% 4 7% 22% 26% 14%	6468
February	1st to 10th	Night	23% 5% 9% 24% 27% 11%	2499
	11th to 20th	Night	25% 5% 7% 19% 27% 18%	2339
	21st to end	Night	26% 5% 8% 16% 31% 15%	1980
March	1st to 10th	Night	21% 7% 9% 20% 30% 13%	5208
	11th to 20th	Night	29% 9% 11% 21% 23% 8%	5000
	21st to end	Night	19% 6% 9% 20% 33% 13%	5489
April	1st to 10th	Night	18% 4 8% 18% 32% 21%	2155
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 4 7% 17% 30% 27%	1913
	21st to end	Night	15% 4 7% 15% 37% 23%	1800
May	1st to 10th	Night	15% 4 5% 9% 37% 30%	2950
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 4 6% 12% 32% 37%	2839
	21st to end	Night	11% 4 6% 9% 28% 42%	3110
June	1st to 10th	Night	7% 3 5% 9% 26% 52%	1710
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 2 3 8% 14% 64%	1710
	21st to end	Night	6% 2 3 4 16% 69%	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	7% 2 3 5% 7% 76%	2815
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 4 5% 11% 21% 43%	2806
	21st to end	Night	19% 7% 9% 15% 14% 36%	3011
August	1st to 10th	Night	13% 3 6% 16% 27% 35%	2838
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 4 7% 17% 20% 44%	2838
	21st to end	Night	9% 4 4 12% 16% 56%	3456
September	1st to 10th	Night	12% 3 7% 11% 23% 44%	2061
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 3 4 11% 22% 50%	2090
	21st to end	Night	9% 3 5% 11% 27% 46%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	10% 2 2 9% 18% 59%	3490
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 3 4 12% 33% 36%	3737
	21st to end	Night	11% 2 4 14% 39% 29%	4170
November	1st to 10th	Night	14% 3 5% 19% 36% 21%	2535
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 3 7% 17% 42% 19%	2600
	21st to end	Night	19% 4 5% 17% 37% 18%	2600
December	1st to 10th	Night	17% 4 7% 30% 28% 14%	4240
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 5% 9% 35% 30% 3	4811
	21st to end	Night	24% 5% 14% 27% 25% 4	6468

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	11% 11% 30% 35% 12% 1	300
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 7% 31% 41% 9% 3	300
	21st to end	Day	6% 10% 21% 39% 22% 2	330
February	1st to 10th	Day	8% 17% 28% 31% 14% 2	399
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 18% 29% 29% 13% 2	495
	21st to end	Day	10% 16% 32% 31% 10% 2	414
March	1st to 10th	Day	10% 20% 29% 27% 12% 1	500
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 18% 31% 31% 10% 1	500
	21st to end	Day	11% 19% 34% 25% 9% 2	550
April	1st to 10th	Day	8% 19% 28% 28% 13% 4	500
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 23% 33% 25% 9% 2	492
	21st to end	Day	5% 20% 31% 27% 13% 4	500
May	1st to 10th	Day	7% 16% 35% 21% 17% 3	503
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 14% 32% 30% 16% 3	489
	21st to end	Day	5% 16% 29% 30% 16% 3	529
June	1st to 10th	Day	2 11% 26% 37% 19% 4	490
	11th to 20th	Day	3 13% 28% 30% 22% 4	490
	21st to end	Day	2 7% 28% 36% 23% 4	490
July	1st to 10th	Day	1 3 21% 45% 23% 7%	486
	11th to 20th	Day	2 3 18% 39% 30% 8%	484
	21st to end	Day	4 1 14% 43% 31% 8%	531
August	1st to 10th	Day	1 2 21% 43% 25% 8%	487
	11th to 20th	Day	1 3 22% 39% 27% 8%	477
	21st to end	Day	2 3 22% 34% 29% 10%	539
September	1st to 10th	Day	2 4 19% 38% 27% 10%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	3 7% 26% 37% 23% 5%	490
	21st to end	Day	3 7% 24% 32% 27% 7%	490
October	1st to 10th	Day	4 10% 21% 32% 25% 6%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	4 8% 19% 39% 26% 5%	329
	21st to end	Day	3 8% 23% 33% 28% 5%	330
November	1st to 10th	Day	7% 7% 22% 33% 29% 2	300
	11th to 20th	Day	3 6% 25% 40% 21% 6%	300
	21st to end	Day	5% 7% 26% 38% 21% 4	300
December	1st to 10th	Day	4 6% 26% 39% 23% 1	300
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 4 28% 37% 23% 3	300
	21st to end	Day	15% 9% 25% 38% 12% 1	330
January	1st to 10th	Night	9% 5% 24% 41% 19% 3	800
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 5% 25% 46% 16% 2	800
	21st to end	Night	8% 7% 26% 40% 18% 2	880
February	1st to 10th	Night	7% 7% 29% 39% 17% 1	800
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 8% 28% 40% 16% 1	784
	21st to end	Night	10% 6% 30% 36% 16% 2	660
March	1st to 10th	Night	8% 9% 24% 43% 14% 2	800
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 9% 24% 34% 22% 3	800
	21st to end	Night	5% 8% 29% 41% 16% 1	880
April	1st to 10th	Night	5% 11% 24% 42% 17% 1	800
	11th to 20th	Night	3 10% 32% 35% 17% 3	725
	21st to end	Night	3 12% 26% 38% 18% 4	600
May	1st to 10th	Night	5% 7% 25% 45% 16% 2	600
	11th to 20th	Night	1 8% 19% 43% 26% 3	563
	21st to end	Night	4 7% 20% 42% 24% 2	617
June	1st to 10th	Night	2 4 17% 45% 30% 1	570
	11th to 20th	Night	1 6% 21% 44% 26% 3	570
	21st to end	Night	1 2 14% 44% 36% 4	570
July	1st to 10th	Night	2 8% 40% 47% 3	555
	11th to 20th	Night	3 1 5% 41% 47% 4	552
	21st to end	Night	5% 1 4 34% 52% 4	624
August	1st to 10th	Night	3 1 7% 41% 46% 2	567
	11th to 20th	Night	2 1 7% 40% 48% 3	564
	21st to end	Night	3 1 6% 38% 45% 8%	807
September	1st to 10th	Night	3 3 8% 36% 44% 7%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	2 1 14% 43% 34% 5%	760
	21st to end	Night	2 2 13% 38% 39% 5%	760
October	1st to 10th	Night	4 4 20% 42% 28% 2	760
	11th to 20th	Night	2 3 17% 46% 27% 5%	760
	21st to end	Night	2 6% 19% 41% 28% 4	836
November	1st to 10th	Night	4 4 18% 43% 29% 3	780
	11th to 20th	Night	3 4 19% 46% 24% 4	800
	21st to end	Night	5% 6% 22% 40% 25% 2	800
December	1st to 10th	Night	9% 5% 22% 41% 22% 2	800
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 3 23% 47% 19% 1	800
	21st to end	Night	10% 6% 26% 41% 16% 1	880

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