Rowan Astronomical Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Rowan Astronomical Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-12-24.

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	15% 6% 2 6% 4 4 4 4 6% 7% 40%	101695
	Night	16% 7% 2 6% 4 4 4 3 5% 7% 42%	98432
Transparency	Day	40% 6% 11% 23% 16% 3	105241
	Night	40% 6% 11% 23% 17% 3	102974
Seeing	Day	19% 16% 29% 22% 10% 3	15163
	Night	18% 13% 32% 27% 9% 1	24506

By Month

Percentage Cloud Cover NE (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	15% 9% 2 5% 4 3 4 3 5% 4 46%	2517
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 8% 3 9% 6% 4 4 3 4 5% 39%	2595
	21st to end	Day	22% 9% 2 6% 4 4 4 3 4 5% 37%	3124
February	1st to 10th	Day	15% 8% 3 7% 4 4 4 4 6% 6% 39%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 7% 2 5% 4 4 5% 3 5% 6% 41%	1820
	21st to end	Day	17% 10% 3 7% 4 4 3 3 5% 5% 38%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	26% 7% 2 5% 3 3 3 2 4 6% 40%	3116
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 4 2 6% 4 4 5% 3 6% 7% 49%	3472
	21st to end	Day	21% 5% 2 5% 4 3 3 3 5% 5% 43%	4056
April	1st to 10th	Day	15% 8% 2 5% 4 4 4 4 6% 7% 41%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 6% 2 6% 4 3 4 4 6% 7% 43%	2254
	21st to end	Day	16% 7% 2 5% 5% 4 4 5% 6% 7% 40%	2280
May	1st to 10th	Day	26% 9% 3 7% 4 4 4 3 5% 7% 28%	4002
	11th to 20th	Day	23% 9% 3 7% 5% 5% 4 3 5% 6% 29%	4398
	21st to end	Day	11% 5% 2 6% 4 4 4 3 6% 9% 46%	4837
June	1st to 10th	Day	12% 6% 2 6% 5% 4 5% 5% 7% 8% 40%	2660
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 6% 2 7% 5% 5% 6% 5% 7% 8% 39%	2660
	21st to end	Day	10% 4 2 7% 4 5% 6% 5% 7% 10% 42%	2660
July	1st to 10th	Day	7% 5% 2 7% 6% 6% 7% 5% 8% 11% 36%	4440
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 6% 2 6% 5% 5% 5% 5% 8% 10% 38%	4440
	21st to end	Day	11% 8% 3 8% 6% 6% 6% 5% 7% 9% 31%	4725
August	1st to 10th	Day	17% 6% 2 7% 4 5% 6% 5% 6% 9% 33%	4079
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 6% 2 6% 4 4 5% 4 7% 9% 40%	3730
	21st to end	Day	9% 5% 2 5% 4 4 5% 4 6% 9% 47%	4180
September	1st to 10th	Day	13% 5% 3 6% 5% 5% 5% 3 5% 6% 45%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 5% 2 4 4 4 4 3 4 8% 50%	2242
	21st to end	Day	18% 7% 3 7% 4 4 4 3 5% 6% 38%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	18% 6% 2 5% 3 4 4 4 4 6% 45%	1914
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 6% 2 4 3 3 4 3 5% 6% 50%	1900
	21st to end	Day	16% 6% 2 6% 3 3 3 2 4 7% 48%	2024
November	1st to 10th	Day	13% 5% 2 4 4 3 3 2 4 7% 53%	1761
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 6% 2 5% 4 3 4 4 5% 7% 47%	1800
	21st to end	Day	15% 5% 2 5% 4 4 4 3 5% 7% 47%	1697
December	1st to 10th	Day	18% 6% 3 5% 4 3 3 4 6% 8% 40%	1600
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 8% 2 5% 4 3 3 3 4 6% 43%	1986
	21st to end	Day	16% 7% 2 6% 4 5% 5% 4 7% 7% 37%	2796
January	1st to 10th	Night	17% 7% 2 5% 3 3 4 3 5% 5% 45%	4429
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 8% 2 6% 3 3 3 3 4 4 44%	4362
	21st to end	Night	23% 8% 3 7% 4 3 4 3 5% 5% 37%	4532
February	1st to 10th	Night	16% 8% 3 6% 4 3 4 3 5% 6% 41%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 9% 2 5% 4 3 3 3 4 7% 41%	2244
	21st to end	Night	18% 8% 3 5% 4 4 4 3 4 6% 42%	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	22% 10% 2 5% 4 3 3 2 4 5% 38%	3724
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 6% 2 6% 4 4 3 3 4 5% 51%	3483
	21st to end	Night	17% 9% 3 6% 4 3 3 3 3 4 45%	3576
April	1st to 10th	Night	16% 8% 2 6% 4 4 3 4 5% 6% 41%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 6% 3 7% 5% 4 4 4 5% 7% 42%	1875
	21st to end	Night	17% 6% 2 5% 5% 4 3 3 5% 7% 44%	1900
May	1st to 10th	Night	21% 9% 3 8% 4 5% 4 4 6% 8% 30%	2961
	11th to 20th	Night	23% 9% 3 8% 4 4 4 4 5% 6% 30%	2500
	21st to end	Night	13% 5% 3 6% 4 4 5% 4 6% 9% 42%	2738
June	1st to 10th	Night	14% 5% 2 5% 5% 4 4 3 6% 9% 43%	1520
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 7% 3 7% 5% 4 5% 3 7% 9% 41%	1520
	21st to end	Night	9% 6% 2 5% 4 4 5% 4 8% 11% 42%	1520
July	1st to 10th	Night	7% 5% 3 8% 7% 6% 6% 5% 6% 10% 38%	2520
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 6% 2 6% 5% 4 5% 5% 7% 10% 39%	2520
	21st to end	Night	14% 7% 3 7% 5% 4 5% 5% 6% 8% 35%	2823
August	1st to 10th	Night	19% 7% 3 6% 4 4 5% 4 7% 8% 33%	2825
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 7% 3 6% 4 4 4 4 5% 7% 43%	3091
	21st to end	Night	10% 5% 2 6% 4 3 4 3 5% 8% 49%	3476
September	1st to 10th	Night	13% 6% 2 7% 3 4 4 3 5% 7% 46%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 5% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 4 7% 55%	1936
	21st to end	Night	19% 7% 2 6% 4 4 4 3 5% 7% 40%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	18% 6% 2 6% 4 3 3 3 5% 5% 44%	2262
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 4 2 5% 3 3 3 2 5% 6% 51%	2280
	21st to end	Night	16% 6% 2 4 4 3 3 3 5% 5% 48%	2573
November	1st to 10th	Night	11% 5% 2 5% 4 3 3 3 5% 6% 53%	2537
	11th to 20th	Night	16% 6% 2 5% 3 4 4 2 4 5% 49%	2600
	21st to end	Night	12% 5% 1 6% 5% 4 4 4 6% 6% 46%	2700
December	1st to 10th	Night	18% 8% 3 6% 3 3 4 4 5% 6% 41%	2800
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 6% 2 6% 3 4 4 3 5% 7% 42%	3428
	21st to end	Night	16% 7% 2 6% 4 4 5% 4 6% 7% 37%	4933

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	40% 4 10% 26% 15% 4	2518
	11th to 20th	Day	48% 5% 9% 22% 14% 3	2595
	21st to end	Day	48% 7% 11% 22% 11% 2	3124
February	1st to 10th	Day	43% 6% 13% 24% 12% 2	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	43% 5% 9% 24% 15% 3	1829
	21st to end	Day	48% 4 10% 21% 13% 5%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	47% 4 8% 28% 10% 2	3119
	11th to 20th	Day	32% 5% 10% 31% 18% 3	3472
	21st to end	Day	44% 5% 7% 19% 22% 4	4056
April	1st to 10th	Day	42% 6% 10% 20% 16% 5%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	39% 6% 12% 23% 16% 4	2254
	21st to end	Day	41% 6% 11% 19% 19% 4	2280
May	1st to 10th	Day	55% 6% 10% 18% 10% 2	4014
	11th to 20th	Day	54% 8% 12% 17% 8% 1	4402
	21st to end	Day	34% 9% 11% 27% 18% 2	4837
June	1st to 10th	Day	38% 9% 12% 23% 16% 2	2660
	11th to 20th	Day	39% 10% 13% 23% 13% 3	2660
	21st to end	Day	35% 10% 13% 23% 17% 1	2660
July	1st to 10th	Day	39% 10% 17% 17% 14% 2	4370
	11th to 20th	Day	38% 7% 18% 23% 13% 2	4365
	21st to end	Day	46% 8% 12% 19% 14% 1	4574
August	1st to 10th	Day	47% 7% 14% 22% 9% 1	4066
	11th to 20th	Day	39% 7% 13% 27% 13% 1	3766
	21st to end	Day	32% 7% 12% 28% 19% 2	4180
September	1st to 10th	Day	40% 6% 10% 19% 22% 3	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	34% 5% 9% 24% 25% 3	2242
	21st to end	Day	47% 5% 8% 18% 20% 2	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	36% 4 9% 18% 29% 5%	3174
	11th to 20th	Day	25% 3 9% 23% 29% 9%	3140
	21st to end	Day	25% 3 10% 28% 28% 5%	3314
November	1st to 10th	Day	33% 4 12% 27% 21% 4	1761
	11th to 20th	Day	36% 6% 9% 24% 22% 3	1800
	21st to end	Day	37% 4 11% 31% 14% 3	1697
December	1st to 10th	Day	42% 5% 15% 23% 13% 1	1600
	11th to 20th	Day	43% 4 11% 28% 10% 3	1986
	21st to end	Day	43% 6% 13% 23% 14% 1	2796
January	1st to 10th	Night	40% 4 9% 29% 14% 4	4429
	11th to 20th	Night	44% 5% 9% 25% 15% 3	4362
	21st to end	Night	49% 4 8% 25% 13% 1	4532
February	1st to 10th	Night	43% 5% 13% 23% 14% 2	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	44% 5% 9% 20% 18% 5%	2246
	21st to end	Night	43% 5% 9% 22% 16% 6%	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	49% 5% 8% 23% 13% 2	3734
	11th to 20th	Night	35% 5% 12% 28% 17% 4	3484
	21st to end	Night	43% 4 7% 17% 22% 5%	3576
April	1st to 10th	Night	43% 5% 9% 20% 19% 4	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	41% 6% 10% 21% 19% 4	1875
	21st to end	Night	41% 4 9% 20% 20% 5%	1900
May	1st to 10th	Night	51% 7% 10% 19% 11% 1	2968
	11th to 20th	Night	52% 9% 12% 15% 10% 2	2501
	21st to end	Night	37% 9% 15% 20% 17% 3	2739
June	1st to 10th	Night	38% 8% 11% 23% 20% 2	1520
	11th to 20th	Night	38% 8% 14% 26% 13% 2	1520
	21st to end	Night	34% 9% 15% 25% 15% 2	1520
July	1st to 10th	Night	41% 9% 19% 18% 12% 2	2480
	11th to 20th	Night	38% 7% 20% 24% 9% 1	2472
	21st to end	Night	46% 7% 14% 19% 14% 1	2733
August	1st to 10th	Night	48% 7% 19% 17% 8%	2814
	11th to 20th	Night	39% 7% 12% 29% 14% 1	3121
	21st to end	Night	33% 5% 10% 30% 20% 2	3476
September	1st to 10th	Night	38% 8% 11% 19% 21% 4	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	30% 5% 11% 25% 26% 4	1936
	21st to end	Night	44% 5% 9% 20% 19% 2	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	39% 4 10% 22% 21% 3	3782
	11th to 20th	Night	24% 3 11% 25% 30% 7%	3779
	21st to end	Night	25% 3 12% 30% 25% 5%	4233
November	1st to 10th	Night	33% 5% 11% 24% 21% 6%	2537
	11th to 20th	Night	39% 4 9% 22% 21% 6%	2600
	21st to end	Night	36% 6% 11% 27% 18% 2	2700
December	1st to 10th	Night	43% 5% 11% 25% 14% 2	2800
	11th to 20th	Night	42% 5% 11% 20% 18% 4	3428
	21st to end	Night	43% 7% 14% 24% 11% 1	4933

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	25% 27% 31% 12% 4 1	180
	11th to 20th	Day	29% 32% 26% 11% 1	204
	21st to end	Day	24% 31% 28% 13% 3 1	297
February	1st to 10th	Day	26% 30% 31% 10% 2	270
	11th to 20th	Day	30% 27% 32% 10% 1	428
	21st to end	Day	29% 24% 32% 13% 2	382
March	1st to 10th	Day	25% 24% 31% 16% 4	460
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 28% 32% 12% 4 2	460
	21st to end	Day	26% 23% 33% 14% 4 1	506
April	1st to 10th	Day	23% 27% 33% 10% 5% 1	460
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 22% 33% 16% 7% 2	452
	21st to end	Day	23% 22% 32% 17% 5% 1	460
May	1st to 10th	Day	28% 22% 26% 15% 7% 2	463
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 16% 33% 21% 7% 2	487
	21st to end	Day	16% 10% 27% 27% 16% 3	529
June	1st to 10th	Day	14% 13% 31% 28% 13% 3	490
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 11% 31% 27% 13% 3	490
	21st to end	Day	12% 10% 31% 29% 15% 3	490
July	1st to 10th	Day	12% 6% 26% 31% 20% 6%	485
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 4 26% 36% 21% 5%	484
	21st to end	Day	12% 7% 27% 33% 17% 5%	532
August	1st to 10th	Day	12% 6% 27% 32% 17% 6%	486
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 4 21% 34% 20% 7%	479
	21st to end	Day	11% 8% 28% 27% 18% 8%	539
September	1st to 10th	Day	17% 11% 22% 26% 16% 9%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 6% 29% 27% 16% 9%	490
	21st to end	Day	25% 13% 25% 23% 10% 3	490
October	1st to 10th	Day	23% 10% 26% 23% 13% 6%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 16% 28% 23% 12% 2	490
	21st to end	Day	19% 16% 34% 18% 10% 3	504
November	1st to 10th	Day	16% 15% 34% 23% 11% 2	395
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 22% 34% 19% 7%	400
	21st to end	Day	20% 23% 31% 22% 5%	297
December	1st to 10th	Day	23% 30% 31% 11% 5%	200
	11th to 20th	Day	32% 21% 33% 11% 4	200
	21st to end	Day	26% 22% 29% 17% 6%	204
January	1st to 10th	Night	20% 20% 38% 19% 3	760
	11th to 20th	Night	24% 19% 33% 22% 3	760
	21st to end	Night	19% 19% 39% 21% 2	836
February	1st to 10th	Night	21% 18% 38% 22% 1	760
	11th to 20th	Night	26% 25% 34% 15% 1	743
	21st to end	Night	24% 21% 35% 18% 2	628
March	1st to 10th	Night	21% 20% 34% 21% 4	760
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 21% 35% 16% 5% 1	760
	21st to end	Night	21% 17% 41% 16% 5%	836
April	1st to 10th	Night	21% 22% 34% 17% 5%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 16% 38% 25% 4	751
	21st to end	Night	21% 16% 33% 25% 5%	760
May	1st to 10th	Night	20% 13% 38% 22% 6%	646
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 10% 38% 28% 6%	379
	21st to end	Night	18% 5% 25% 38% 13% 1	411
June	1st to 10th	Night	16% 6% 29% 38% 11%	380
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 6% 31% 41% 11% 1	380
	21st to end	Night	9% 4 31% 45% 10%	380
July	1st to 10th	Night	10% 3 29% 42% 16% 1	370
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 5% 20% 48% 17% 2	368
	21st to end	Night	10% 4 27% 41% 18% 1	464
August	1st to 10th	Night	12% 3 20% 42% 22% 2	567
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 3 19% 42% 20% 2	744
	21st to end	Night	13% 3 21% 39% 21% 3	836
September	1st to 10th	Night	16% 4 25% 37% 16% 2	760
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 4 21% 36% 21% 4	760
	21st to end	Night	23% 6% 25% 29% 16% 1	760
October	1st to 10th	Night	21% 7% 26% 28% 15% 3	760
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 11% 29% 29% 12% 1	760
	21st to end	Night	20% 13% 34% 24% 9%	836
November	1st to 10th	Night	13% 12% 36% 27% 11% 1	780
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 16% 33% 25% 7% 1	800
	21st to end	Night	16% 19% 36% 22% 7% 1	800
December	1st to 10th	Night	24% 16% 34% 19% 7% 1	800
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 19% 34% 23% 5%	800
	21st to end	Night	21% 16% 34% 27% 2	851

Page generated at 2024-12-21 04:13:48. Version ac07

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