Red Buttes Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Red Buttes Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2026-08-30.

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 5% 2 7% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 8% 50%	153134
	Night	2 5% 2 7% 4 4 4 4 6% 8% 54%	146639
Transparency	Day	19% 36% 7% 16% 15% 6%	148049
	Night	18% 36% 9% 19% 14% 4	142745
Seeing	Day	12% 24% 32% 21% 9% 2	18219
	Night	8% 27% 33% 24% 8% 1	28159

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	5% 4 9% 7% 5% 5% 3 5% 6% 50%	4720
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 3 11% 7% 6% 5% 3 5% 7% 48%	4799
	21st to end	Day	3 3 7% 6% 4 4 4 5% 7% 57%	5844
February	1st to 10th	Day	1 6% 3 10% 6% 5% 4 4 6% 8% 47%	1890
	11th to 20th	Day	1 6% 3 8% 6% 5% 7% 4 7% 8% 45%	1957
	21st to end	Day	6% 3 7% 5% 4 4 4 6% 8% 53%	1730
March	1st to 10th	Day	1 8% 4 8% 4 4 4 4 5% 7% 51%	4600
	11th to 20th	Day	2 9% 3 8% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 8% 45%	5106
	21st to end	Day	2 8% 3 8% 6% 5% 5% 5% 6% 9% 41%	5910
April	1st to 10th	Day	3 9% 3 6% 5% 5% 4 4 6% 8% 45%	2520
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 12% 3 8% 6% 5% 5% 3 6% 8% 37%	2491
	21st to end	Day	6% 11% 4 9% 7% 4 5% 4 5% 7% 38%	2520
May	1st to 10th	Day	6% 10% 4 9% 5% 4 5% 4 6% 6% 42%	7754
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 7% 3 7% 5% 5% 6% 5% 6% 7% 42%	8191
	21st to end	Day	5% 6% 2 7% 6% 5% 6% 5% 7% 8% 43%	9026
June	1st to 10th	Day	4 4 2 6% 4 5% 6% 5% 8% 10% 45%	2940
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 4 2 5% 4 4 5% 4 7% 8% 52%	2940
	21st to end	Day	3 3 1 5% 4 4 5% 6% 8% 8% 52%	2940
July	1st to 10th	Day	3 3 1 5% 4 5% 6% 5% 8% 9% 51%	8249
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 1 4 4 5% 6% 4 6% 8% 57%	8250
	21st to end	Day	5% 4 2 6% 5% 6% 7% 6% 8% 10% 43%	8899
August	1st to 10th	Day	3 3 2 6% 5% 6% 6% 5% 8% 9% 46%	5909
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 2 6% 4 4 5% 4 6% 8% 53%	5630
	21st to end	Day	6% 4 2 7% 5% 5% 6% 5% 7% 8% 46%	6093
September	1st to 10th	Day	4 4 2 4 4 3 5% 4 5% 8% 58%	2400
	11th to 20th	Day	4 4 2 4 3 3 5% 4 6% 7% 58%	2400
	21st to end	Day	5% 5% 1 5% 3 3 4 2 4 6% 62%	2171
October	1st to 10th	Day	4 3 1 4 3 2 2 2 3 4 71%	3270
	11th to 20th	Day	3 5% 2 6% 5% 4 4 4 5% 7% 56%	3250
	21st to end	Day	4 7% 3 5% 3 3 3 3 4 6% 58%	3420
November	1st to 10th	Day	2 4 2 5% 4 4 3 3 5% 8% 59%	1853
	11th to 20th	Day	2 6% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 6% 8% 57%	1884
	21st to end	Day	1 6% 3 7% 5% 4 5% 3 5% 7% 54%	1680
December	1st to 10th	Day	3 2 8% 4 3 4 3 5% 5% 63%	2700
	11th to 20th	Day	1 6% 2 6% 4 3 3 3 5% 8% 59%	3106
	21st to end	Day	1 5% 3 10% 6% 5% 5% 4 6% 8% 48%	4092
January	1st to 10th	Night	5% 3 11% 6% 4 4 3 5% 8% 51%	8201
	11th to 20th	Night	1 6% 4 11% 5% 4 4 3 4 7% 52%	8236
	21st to end	Night	5% 3 9% 5% 4 5% 4 5% 6% 55%	8370
February	1st to 10th	Night	1 5% 3 9% 5% 4 4 3 6% 8% 52%	2730
	11th to 20th	Night	1 6% 3 8% 6% 5% 5% 5% 6% 7% 49%	2549
	21st to end	Night	1 7% 3 7% 4 4 3 3 4 6% 58%	2076
March	1st to 10th	Night	1 10% 4 7% 4 4 4 3 5% 6% 51%	5494
	11th to 20th	Night	1 7% 4 7% 4 4 3 3 5% 7% 55%	5110
	21st to end	Night	4 10% 3 8% 5% 4 4 4 5% 8% 45%	5293
April	1st to 10th	Night	3 7% 2 6% 5% 4 4 3 7% 7% 51%	2100
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 10% 3 6% 4 4 4 3 6% 7% 47%	2077
	21st to end	Night	6% 10% 3 7% 4 3 4 3 6% 6% 47%	2100
May	1st to 10th	Night	6% 9% 3 7% 5% 4 4 3 5% 6% 48%	5174
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 6% 2 8% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 8% 46%	4701
	21st to end	Night	5% 5% 2 7% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 8% 46%	5181
June	1st to 10th	Night	4 3 1 3 4 4 4 5% 7% 11% 54%	1680
	11th to 20th	Night	4 3 1 3 3 3 4 4 6% 8% 61%	1680
	21st to end	Night	3 3 2 4 3 4 4 3 5% 9% 60%	1680
July	1st to 10th	Night	3 3 2 4 4 4 5% 4 7% 9% 54%	4740
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 1 3 3 4 4 5% 7% 10% 61%	4740
	21st to end	Night	2 2 1 6% 5% 5% 7% 6% 9% 10% 47%	5206
August	1st to 10th	Night	3 3 1 5% 3 4 5% 4 7% 10% 55%	4123
	11th to 20th	Night	2 3 1 5% 4 4 5% 4 7% 10% 54%	4426
	21st to end	Night	4 4 2 5% 4 4 5% 5% 7% 10% 50%	5083
September	1st to 10th	Night	5% 4 2 4 3 3 4 3 5% 8% 59%	2000
	11th to 20th	Night	4 4 1 5% 3 3 5% 3 4 7% 62%	2000
	21st to end	Night	5% 3 1 4 3 3 4 3 5% 6% 63%	2225
October	1st to 10th	Night	3 3 1 3 2 3 2 3 4 5% 72%	3920
	11th to 20th	Night	4 4 2 5% 3 4 4 3 6% 8% 58%	3898
	21st to end	Night	3 6% 2 4 2 3 3 3 4 7% 63%	4348
November	1st to 10th	Night	2 5% 2 4 3 3 4 3 5% 8% 62%	2665
	11th to 20th	Night	2 6% 2 5% 4 3 4 4 4 7% 59%	2734
	21st to end	Night	1 6% 3 6% 4 3 4 3 7% 8% 56%	2940
December	1st to 10th	Night	1 3 2 5% 4 4 4 3 4 5% 66%	4710
	11th to 20th	Night	1 4 3 5% 4 4 4 3 5% 9% 59%	5321
	21st to end	Night	1 8% 4 9% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 8% 46%	7128

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	25% 28% 12% 17% 17% 2	4723
	11th to 20th	Day	25% 28% 13% 16% 13% 6%	4799
	21st to end	Day	18% 25% 11% 21% 20% 4	5844
February	1st to 10th	Day	13% 59% 7% 11% 8% 3	1890
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 60% 5% 14% 8% 2	1966
	21st to end	Day	10% 60% 4 12% 13% 2	1730
March	1st to 10th	Day	22% 31% 4 21% 17% 5%	4600
	11th to 20th	Day	25% 31% 9% 19% 14% 2	5106
	21st to end	Day	24% 33% 12% 24% 6% 1	5910
April	1st to 10th	Day	13% 61% 5% 14% 6% 1	2520
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 62% 3 8% 8% 2	2494
	21st to end	Day	20% 61% 3 11% 5% 1	2520
May	1st to 10th	Day	29% 28% 8% 18% 15% 3	7754
	11th to 20th	Day	27% 27% 7% 18% 19% 3	8195
	21st to end	Day	26% 27% 8% 20% 15% 3	9027
June	1st to 10th	Day	10% 61% 6% 11% 9% 2	2940
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 60% 5% 11% 9% 4	2940
	21st to end	Day	11% 59% 5% 11% 10% 4	2940
July	1st to 10th	Day	17% 23% 7% 11% 25% 18%	8181
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 23% 6% 20% 17% 17%	8175
	21st to end	Day	26% 25% 12% 13% 14% 11%	8701
August	1st to 10th	Day	19% 40% 8% 15% 10% 8%	4338
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 38% 8% 11% 17% 6%	4112
	21st to end	Day	17% 37% 8% 11% 16% 11%	4420
September	1st to 10th	Day	12% 57% 4 11% 12% 4	2400
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 58% 4 11% 14% 4	2400
	21st to end	Day	11% 57% 2 8% 16% 5%	2171
October	1st to 10th	Day	9% 35% 3 9% 24% 20%	3270
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 37% 4 23% 15% 4	3250
	21st to end	Day	18% 36% 4 24% 16% 2	3420
November	1st to 10th	Day	10% 54% 5% 17% 11% 2	1853
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 55% 3 18% 12% 2	1884
	21st to end	Day	16% 55% 4 14% 9% 2	1680
December	1st to 10th	Day	12% 37% 7% 28% 16% 2	2700
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 31% 13% 29% 12% 1	3104
	21st to end	Day	23% 30% 9% 19% 14% 4	4092
January	1st to 10th	Night	25% 24% 13% 23% 12% 3	8202
	11th to 20th	Night	25% 25% 14% 17% 15% 5%	8236
	21st to end	Night	23% 24% 11% 20% 17% 5%	8370
February	1st to 10th	Night	11% 61% 9% 11% 7% 1	2730
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 60% 6% 13% 8% 2	2550
	21st to end	Night	9% 59% 4 11% 14% 3	2076
March	1st to 10th	Night	23% 31% 5% 19% 16% 7%	5494
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 29% 8% 19% 22% 2	5110
	21st to end	Night	26% 31% 13% 24% 6% 1	5293
April	1st to 10th	Night	12% 61% 6% 12% 8% 1	2100
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 61% 4 11% 8% 2	2077
	21st to end	Night	16% 61% 5% 12% 6%	2100
May	1st to 10th	Night	26% 27% 6% 24% 15% 2	5172
	11th to 20th	Night	27% 26% 9% 22% 12% 5%	4702
	21st to end	Night	26% 27% 11% 23% 14%	5182
June	1st to 10th	Night	8% 61% 9% 12% 9% 2	1680
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 60% 5% 13% 8% 5%	1680
	21st to end	Night	10% 58% 4 12% 11% 5%	1680
July	1st to 10th	Night	19% 22% 7% 17% 26% 10%	4700
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 24% 10% 24% 17% 12%	4692
	21st to end	Night	24% 25% 14% 14% 15% 8%	5092
August	1st to 10th	Night	16% 38% 12% 15% 14% 5%	3018
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 39% 13% 13% 10% 5%	3232
	21st to end	Night	15% 37% 11% 12% 20% 5%	3687
September	1st to 10th	Night	9% 57% 5% 14% 11% 5%	2000
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 57% 4 12% 13% 4	2000
	21st to end	Night	11% 57% 3 10% 14% 5%	2225
October	1st to 10th	Night	8% 35% 3 13% 27% 15%	3920
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 38% 6% 19% 19% 3	3898
	21st to end	Night	14% 36% 6% 25% 17% 3	4348
November	1st to 10th	Night	10% 54% 5% 16% 13% 2	2665
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 55% 4 16% 12% 3	2734
	21st to end	Night	13% 56% 5% 15% 8% 2	2940
December	1st to 10th	Night	10% 36% 8% 29% 14% 2	4710
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 32% 10% 31% 11% 2	5322
	21st to end	Night	24% 31% 7% 22% 14% 3	7128

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	17% 33% 28% 14% 5% 2	330
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 44% 29% 11% 1	330
	21st to end	Day	10% 43% 33% 11% 3	363
February	1st to 10th	Day	22% 46% 25% 6% 1	330
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 39% 32% 10% 1	330
	21st to end	Day	25% 38% 27% 8% 1	273
March	1st to 10th	Day	13% 40% 31% 13% 2	330
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 31% 35% 13% 2	536
	21st to end	Day	18% 34% 34% 13% 2	594
April	1st to 10th	Day	19% 34% 35% 10% 2	540
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 39% 27% 10% 3	532
	21st to end	Day	17% 31% 33% 14% 4 1	540
May	1st to 10th	Day	20% 24% 31% 16% 8% 1	690
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 19% 34% 22% 8% 2	775
	21st to end	Day	12% 20% 30% 25% 11% 2	844
June	1st to 10th	Day	6% 15% 31% 29% 16% 3	780
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 19% 38% 23% 9% 2	780
	21st to end	Day	4 17% 36% 27% 15% 2	780
July	1st to 10th	Day	6% 6% 28% 35% 22% 4	771
	11th to 20th	Day	4 6% 30% 35% 20% 4	768
	21st to end	Day	6% 7% 26% 34% 24% 4	829
August	1st to 10th	Day	8% 7% 41% 32% 10% 2	567
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 8% 33% 36% 12% 5%	557
	21st to end	Day	7% 10% 37% 29% 13% 4	620
September	1st to 10th	Day	8% 13% 31% 31% 13% 4	530
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 18% 40% 23% 12% 2	530
	21st to end	Day	8% 18% 33% 21% 14% 7%	334
October	1st to 10th	Day	10% 20% 29% 24% 12% 5%	330
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 30% 28% 16% 5% 3	330
	21st to end	Day	12% 35% 36% 13% 4 1	363
November	1st to 10th	Day	14% 35% 33% 12% 5% 1	330
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 39% 34% 10% 2	330
	21st to end	Day	12% 42% 33% 11% 2 1	330
December	1st to 10th	Day	19% 42% 29% 5% 4	330
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 50% 24% 7%	330
	21st to end	Day	21% 44% 25% 8% 1 1	363
January	1st to 10th	Night	10% 40% 32% 13% 4 1	1050
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 51% 27% 10% 4	1049
	21st to end	Night	5% 45% 33% 13% 3	924
February	1st to 10th	Night	9% 46% 34% 8% 4	840
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 41% 36% 16% 1	824
	21st to end	Night	11% 45% 34% 9% 1	692
March	1st to 10th	Night	7% 34% 38% 17% 3	840
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 28% 38% 21% 4	840
	21st to end	Night	10% 28% 40% 17% 4 1	788
April	1st to 10th	Night	11% 26% 40% 21% 3	630
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 24% 41% 20% 4	623
	21st to end	Night	13% 21% 33% 26% 7%	630
May	1st to 10th	Night	12% 17% 34% 27% 9% 1	630
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 13% 33% 31% 11% 1	621
	21st to end	Night	7% 14% 34% 30% 15% 1	683
June	1st to 10th	Night	4 11% 31% 37% 15% 1	630
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 12% 38% 36% 8%	630
	21st to end	Night	5% 7% 32% 40% 15% 1	630
July	1st to 10th	Night	5% 3 25% 46% 20% 1	615
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 24% 48% 22% 1	612
	21st to end	Night	4 2 20% 46% 26% 2	690
August	1st to 10th	Night	4 3 24% 49% 19% 1	627
	11th to 20th	Night	4 4 22% 49% 19% 2	624
	21st to end	Night	5% 3 24% 43% 24% 2	687
September	1st to 10th	Night	7% 5% 24% 45% 17% 3	600
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 7% 28% 43% 16% 2	600
	21st to end	Night	6% 11% 30% 37% 15% 1	630
October	1st to 10th	Night	7% 19% 33% 29% 12% 1	800
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 26% 34% 23% 8% 1	800
	21st to end	Night	10% 25% 42% 17% 5% 1	940
November	1st to 10th	Night	8% 31% 41% 16% 4	1025
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 39% 36% 12% 1	1050
	21st to end	Night	6% 37% 41% 14% 2	1050
December	1st to 10th	Night	11% 43% 30% 12% 3	1050
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 47% 31% 11% 2	1050
	21st to end	Night	12% 47% 29% 9% 3	1155

Page generated at 2026-08-27 02:07:13. Version ac07

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