Smoky Mountain Stargaze
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Smoky Mountain Stargaze clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2025-10-04.

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	14% 8% 3 7% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 8% 38%	126264
	Night	15% 9% 3 6% 4 4 4 3 5% 7% 39%	123127
Transparency	Day	43% 7% 11% 18% 15% 6%	130001
	Night	42% 6% 12% 19% 16% 5%	127459
Seeing	Day	20% 11% 23% 23% 16% 8%	16169
	Night	19% 7% 20% 30% 20% 4	26176

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	15% 9% 3 4 3 3 3 3 5% 7% 46%	4056
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 9% 4 5% 3 3 3 3 3 4 50%	4060
	21st to end	Day	19% 10% 3 5% 2 3 3 2 4 6% 43%	4466
February	1st to 10th	Day	17% 9% 3 6% 4 4 4 3 5% 6% 40%	1950
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 10% 2 7% 4 4 4 3 4 6% 38%	1948
	21st to end	Day	20% 8% 2 7% 4 4 3 3 4 7% 37%	1650
March	1st to 10th	Day	20% 8% 2 6% 5% 4 3 3 5% 6% 38%	4726
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 7% 2 6% 3 3 3 3 4 6% 52%	4980
	21st to end	Day	17% 8% 3 6% 4 4 4 3 4 6% 43%	5465
April	1st to 10th	Day	12% 8% 1 6% 5% 5% 4 4 7% 7% 41%	2200
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 7% 2 6% 4 4 4 4 5% 7% 41%	2414
	21st to end	Day	15% 7% 3 6% 4 4 5% 4 5% 7% 41%	2600
May	1st to 10th	Day	17% 9% 3 8% 6% 5% 5% 4 6% 7% 31%	5862
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 10% 3 9% 6% 7% 6% 5% 6% 7% 25%	5861
	21st to end	Day	15% 8% 3 7% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 8% 35%	6433
June	1st to 10th	Day	13% 8% 3 7% 6% 6% 7% 5% 7% 8% 31%	2600
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 7% 3 7% 7% 7% 7% 6% 7% 10% 33%	2600
	21st to end	Day	9% 6% 3 7% 6% 6% 7% 5% 9% 10% 33%	2600
July	1st to 10th	Day	6% 6% 2 8% 6% 7% 7% 5% 8% 11% 35%	5900
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 7% 3 8% 6% 7% 7% 6% 9% 11% 26%	5900
	21st to end	Day	12% 10% 4 10% 8% 7% 7% 5% 7% 10% 20%	6424
August	1st to 10th	Day	9% 7% 3 9% 6% 6% 7% 6% 7% 10% 30%	4234
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 6% 3 7% 6% 5% 6% 4 7% 11% 34%	4174
	21st to end	Day	8% 6% 2 7% 5% 5% 6% 4 6% 8% 42%	4257
September	1st to 10th	Day	10% 9% 4 7% 5% 5% 6% 5% 6% 7% 36%	2200
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 7% 3 7% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 9% 34%	2200
	21st to end	Day	15% 8% 3 7% 4 5% 5% 4 5% 8% 38%	2200
October	1st to 10th	Day	12% 6% 2 5% 4 4 5% 4 5% 7% 49%	2123
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 7% 2 5% 3 3 4 3 4 5% 54%	1912
	21st to end	Day	14% 6% 2 5% 3 2 3 3 3 6% 53%	2090
November	1st to 10th	Day	10% 6% 2 4 3 3 3 3 5% 5% 55%	1810
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 5% 1 5% 3 2 4 3 5% 7% 51%	1800
	21st to end	Day	14% 7% 3 6% 4 4 3 3 5% 6% 46%	1800
December	1st to 10th	Day	19% 7% 2 3 3 3 4 4 5% 5% 47%	2930
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 11% 3 6% 4 4 4 3 5% 6% 36%	3373
	21st to end	Day	18% 11% 3 5% 4 3 4 3 4 6% 39%	4466
January	1st to 10th	Night	15% 12% 2 4 3 3 3 3 3 5% 47%	5889
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 8% 2 5% 3 3 3 2 4 5% 46%	5900
	21st to end	Night	19% 10% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 4 5% 43%	6490
February	1st to 10th	Night	15% 9% 3 6% 4 4 4 3 5% 6% 40%	2445
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 9% 2 7% 4 4 3 3 4 5% 37%	2338
	21st to end	Night	22% 9% 3 6% 3 4 4 3 5% 6% 35%	1980
March	1st to 10th	Night	21% 12% 3 5% 4 4 4 4 4 5% 33%	5125
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 7% 2 4 3 3 4 3 5% 7% 49%	4980
	21st to end	Night	15% 8% 2 6% 4 4 4 3 5% 6% 42%	5467
April	1st to 10th	Night	14% 8% 2 5% 4 5% 3 3 5% 6% 44%	2200
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 8% 2 5% 4 3 3 3 4 7% 47%	1948
	21st to end	Night	12% 8% 2 5% 4 3 4 3 5% 7% 45%	1800
May	1st to 10th	Night	17% 11% 3 7% 5% 5% 4 4 6% 8% 29%	4033
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 13% 3 7% 4 4 5% 4 6% 8% 25%	4032
	21st to end	Night	17% 8% 3 7% 5% 4 5% 4 6% 9% 33%	4421
June	1st to 10th	Night	10% 7% 3 7% 5% 6% 6% 5% 6% 10% 35%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 6% 2 5% 5% 4 5% 4 8% 12% 42%	1800
	21st to end	Night	9% 6% 2 5% 4 5% 6% 5% 8% 11% 39%	1800
July	1st to 10th	Night	9% 8% 3 8% 5% 5% 5% 4 7% 10% 35%	4058
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 9% 3 8% 5% 5% 5% 4 8% 10% 31%	4057
	21st to end	Night	14% 12% 4 10% 6% 5% 4 4 6% 10% 24%	4427
August	1st to 10th	Night	9% 7% 3 8% 6% 5% 6% 5% 7% 11% 34%	2915
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 8% 3 9% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 9% 33%	2875
	21st to end	Night	9% 5% 2 7% 5% 5% 4 4 7% 10% 42%	3603
September	1st to 10th	Night	12% 7% 3 8% 6% 6% 5% 5% 6% 7% 36%	2200
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 9% 2 8% 4 5% 5% 4 6% 9% 36%	2200
	21st to end	Night	14% 8% 3 5% 4 4 5% 3 6% 8% 41%	2200
October	1st to 10th	Night	14% 6% 2 6% 3 3 3 2 4 6% 51%	2124
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 7% 2 5% 3 3 4 4 5% 5% 49%	2266
	21st to end	Night	13% 7% 2 5% 3 3 4 3 4 4 53%	2508
November	1st to 10th	Night	13% 6% 3 5% 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 51%	2484
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 7% 2 5% 4 3 3 2 4 6% 48%	2600
	21st to end	Night	16% 7% 2 5% 3 3 4 3 5% 6% 46%	2600
December	1st to 10th	Night	18% 8% 2 5% 4 3 3 3 4 6% 44%	4250
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 11% 4 7% 3 3 3 3 4 5% 36%	4822
	21st to end	Night	19% 11% 4 6% 3 3 3 3 4 7% 35%	6490

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	39% 3 4 16% 31% 7%	4057
	11th to 20th	Day	40% 2 4 12% 30% 12%	4060
	21st to end	Day	44% 3 5% 17% 22% 10%	4466
February	1st to 10th	Day	47% 4 7% 20% 17% 5%	1950
	11th to 20th	Day	49% 4 7% 17% 18% 5%	1958
	21st to end	Day	50% 3 8% 12% 21% 7%	1650
March	1st to 10th	Day	46% 4 5% 14% 19% 12%	4726
	11th to 20th	Day	35% 4 5% 14% 22% 19%	4980
	21st to end	Day	43% 4 7% 26% 13% 5%	5465
April	1st to 10th	Day	41% 4 11% 22% 17% 4	2200
	11th to 20th	Day	43% 4 8% 20% 20% 5%	2414
	21st to end	Day	43% 4 12% 25% 14% 2	2600
May	1st to 10th	Day	52% 7% 12% 20% 9% 1	5897
	11th to 20th	Day	56% 8% 11% 18% 7%	5865
	21st to end	Day	47% 7% 12% 18% 14% 2	6447
June	1st to 10th	Day	50% 7% 15% 19% 8% 1	2600
	11th to 20th	Day	45% 8% 19% 17% 10% 1	2600
	21st to end	Day	44% 9% 17% 18% 10% 2	2600
July	1st to 10th	Day	39% 13% 19% 21% 8% 1	5835
	11th to 20th	Day	46% 16% 23% 11% 3 1	5831
	21st to end	Day	56% 14% 14% 11% 4	6240
August	1st to 10th	Day	46% 10% 16% 22% 5%	4221
	11th to 20th	Day	41% 11% 21% 14% 10% 3	4213
	21st to end	Day	40% 8% 13% 26% 11% 1	4257
September	1st to 10th	Day	47% 7% 11% 17% 15% 3	2200
	11th to 20th	Day	48% 7% 10% 19% 15% 2	2200
	21st to end	Day	44% 7% 11% 18% 15% 5%	2200
October	1st to 10th	Day	28% 4 7% 21% 29% 12%	3513
	11th to 20th	Day	23% 3 5% 19% 25% 25%	3152
	21st to end	Day	28% 4 7% 24% 23% 15%	3428
November	1st to 10th	Day	32% 4 7% 19% 28% 10%	1810
	11th to 20th	Day	34% 2 6% 21% 26% 10%	1800
	21st to end	Day	40% 3 6% 21% 24% 6%	1800
December	1st to 10th	Day	38% 5% 6% 17% 26% 9%	2930
	11th to 20th	Day	48% 4 6% 15% 19% 7%	3370
	21st to end	Day	45% 4 9% 26% 13% 3	4466
January	1st to 10th	Night	39% 3 6% 15% 28% 9%	5889
	11th to 20th	Night	40% 3 4 14% 28% 11%	5900
	21st to end	Night	44% 3 5% 16% 23% 10%	6490
February	1st to 10th	Night	45% 4 9% 19% 20% 3	2445
	11th to 20th	Night	52% 3 6% 18% 16% 5%	2339
	21st to end	Night	52% 4 7% 16% 16% 5%	1980
March	1st to 10th	Night	50% 7% 6% 14% 18% 6%	5125
	11th to 20th	Night	34% 5% 7% 19% 18% 16%	4980
	21st to end	Night	42% 6% 11% 23% 12% 5%	5467
April	1st to 10th	Night	41% 4 13% 22% 18% 3	2200
	11th to 20th	Night	38% 4 11% 22% 20% 4	1948
	21st to end	Night	39% 6% 14% 27% 13% 1	1800
May	1st to 10th	Night	52% 8% 13% 21% 6% 1	4060
	11th to 20th	Night	56% 7% 16% 16% 6%	4033
	21st to end	Night	44% 10% 15% 21% 9%	4429
June	1st to 10th	Night	42% 9% 22% 19% 8% 1	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	34% 10% 25% 22% 8% 1	1800
	21st to end	Night	35% 12% 20% 21% 11% 2	1800
July	1st to 10th	Night	41% 10% 21% 22% 5%	4015
	11th to 20th	Night	43% 17% 26% 12% 2 1	4006
	21st to end	Night	51% 14% 19% 11% 5%	4297
August	1st to 10th	Night	39% 12% 26% 19% 4	2904
	11th to 20th	Night	44% 12% 22% 13% 9%	2902
	21st to end	Night	32% 10% 21% 29% 8% 1	3603
September	1st to 10th	Night	43% 10% 14% 18% 12% 2	2200
	11th to 20th	Night	43% 9% 14% 19% 15% 1	2200
	21st to end	Night	39% 7% 13% 20% 16% 4	2200
October	1st to 10th	Night	30% 6% 8% 22% 25% 9%	3514
	11th to 20th	Night	25% 4 5% 20% 24% 22%	3765
	21st to end	Night	30% 3 6% 24% 22% 14%	4120
November	1st to 10th	Night	35% 4 9% 22% 22% 9%	2484
	11th to 20th	Night	39% 3 5% 19% 25% 9%	2600
	21st to end	Night	40% 3 5% 24% 22% 5%	2600
December	1st to 10th	Night	41% 4 6% 17% 24% 8%	4250
	11th to 20th	Night	50% 5% 6% 14% 20% 6%	4824
	21st to end	Night	48% 4 10% 20% 15% 2	6490

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	33% 23% 30% 12% 2	300
	11th to 20th	Day	37% 20% 26% 14% 4	300
	21st to end	Day	29% 28% 30% 12% 2	330
February	1st to 10th	Day	30% 18% 36% 13% 3	300
	11th to 20th	Day	44% 23% 24% 8%	300
	21st to end	Day	41% 23% 27% 8% 2	249
March	1st to 10th	Day	34% 14% 29% 17% 6% 1	403
	11th to 20th	Day	29% 20% 29% 17% 5% 1	500
	21st to end	Day	26% 21% 26% 19% 6% 1	550
April	1st to 10th	Day	25% 16% 27% 22% 8% 1	500
	11th to 20th	Day	23% 19% 23% 22% 10% 3	492
	21st to end	Day	22% 12% 27% 21% 14% 4	500
May	1st to 10th	Day	19% 19% 29% 17% 10% 5%	503
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 11% 26% 24% 13% 7%	527
	21st to end	Day	19% 9% 21% 24% 15% 13%	573
June	1st to 10th	Day	16% 7% 22% 27% 19% 9%	530
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 4 22% 27% 21% 17%	530
	21st to end	Day	10% 5% 24% 26% 19% 15%	530
July	1st to 10th	Day	10% 2 16% 29% 26% 18%	525
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 3 15% 27% 25% 21%	524
	21st to end	Day	11% 3 12% 26% 29% 19%	576
August	1st to 10th	Day	18% 5% 15% 24% 20% 18%	526
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 4 17% 26% 30% 13%	519
	21st to end	Day	13% 4 12% 24% 28% 19%	583
September	1st to 10th	Day	11% 2 15% 28% 31% 12%	530
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 4 15% 27% 27% 12%	530
	21st to end	Day	16% 6% 17% 30% 25% 7%	530
October	1st to 10th	Day	15% 8% 19% 29% 22% 7%	502
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 13% 23% 28% 18% 4	490
	21st to end	Day	22% 9% 22% 29% 15% 4	539
November	1st to 10th	Day	19% 10% 28% 29% 11% 3	348
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 17% 30% 23% 8%	300
	21st to end	Day	20% 17% 34% 21% 7% 1	300
December	1st to 10th	Day	33% 18% 28% 16% 4 1	300
	11th to 20th	Day	29% 13% 29% 22% 6% 1	300
	21st to end	Day	32% 13% 33% 15% 6% 1	330
January	1st to 10th	Night	28% 10% 31% 27% 4	800
	11th to 20th	Night	28% 13% 30% 24% 5%	800
	21st to end	Night	24% 11% 36% 27% 2	880
February	1st to 10th	Night	23% 9% 32% 33% 3	800
	11th to 20th	Night	30% 12% 33% 23% 1	783
	21st to end	Night	30% 14% 33% 21% 2	660
March	1st to 10th	Night	24% 11% 33% 28% 5%	800
	11th to 20th	Night	23% 14% 25% 29% 7% 1	800
	21st to end	Night	23% 12% 30% 26% 9%	880
April	1st to 10th	Night	21% 14% 26% 29% 10%	800
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 9% 25% 31% 13% 2	618
	21st to end	Night	17% 7% 19% 39% 17% 1	600
May	1st to 10th	Night	17% 7% 19% 37% 19% 1	600
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 5% 18% 35% 23% 3	591
	21st to end	Night	14% 3 11% 33% 32% 7%	650
June	1st to 10th	Night	13% 2 14% 35% 31% 5%	600
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 1 10% 31% 39% 11%	600
	21st to end	Night	11% 1 8% 29% 43% 8%	600
July	1st to 10th	Night	11% 2 8% 23% 49% 8%	585
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 2 5% 21% 44% 15%	582
	21st to end	Night	11% 2 4 24% 48% 11%	657
August	1st to 10th	Night	12% 2 7% 26% 44% 10%	597
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 2 5% 29% 41% 8%	594
	21st to end	Night	12% 1 7% 23% 44% 12%	670
September	1st to 10th	Night	13% 2 9% 29% 39% 8%	800
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 3 10% 29% 36% 8%	800
	21st to end	Night	17% 3 13% 33% 31% 3	800
October	1st to 10th	Night	15% 5% 16% 26% 31% 7%	773
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 7% 20% 34% 19% 2	760
	21st to end	Night	18% 9% 15% 39% 16% 3	836
November	1st to 10th	Night	15% 6% 18% 40% 18% 3	780
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 9% 22% 36% 11% 3	800
	21st to end	Night	21% 9% 22% 34% 13% 1	800
December	1st to 10th	Night	27% 10% 25% 31% 7%	800
	11th to 20th	Night	23% 9% 28% 33% 7% 1	800
	21st to end	Night	27% 10% 25% 32% 5%	880

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