Sonoita Observatories
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Sonoita Observatories clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2025-01-07.

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 4 3 4 4 3 5% 6% 64%	109275
	Night	2 3 1 3 3 3 3 3 5% 7% 66%	108534
Transparency	Day	21% 5% 7% 11% 26% 30%	109042
	Night	18% 4 7% 13% 28% 30%	108357
Seeing	Day	6% 11% 25% 31% 20% 6%	15072
	Night	4 5% 17% 37% 31% 6%	25250

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	2 3 3 4 3 3 4 3 5% 5% 64%	2912
	11th to 20th	Day	2 4 1 4 4 4 4 4 4 5% 65%	2860
	21st to end	Day	4 5% 2 5% 4 3 4 4 6% 7% 54%	3146
February	1st to 10th	Day	4 4 1 3 3 3 3 3 4 6% 65%	1743
	11th to 20th	Day	4 6% 2 3 3 3 4 3 4 6% 63%	1850
	21st to end	Day	3 4 2 4 3 2 2 2 5% 6% 66%	1696
March	1st to 10th	Day	3 4 2 4 3 3 4 4 5% 6% 63%	3444
	11th to 20th	Day	2 3 1 3 3 3 4 4 5% 6% 66%	3490
	21st to end	Day	1 4 1 4 3 4 5% 4 6% 9% 57%	3825
April	1st to 10th	Day	1 2 1 2 3 4 3 3 4 6% 71%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 5% 79%	2220
	21st to end	Day	1 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 5% 80%	2280
May	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 86%	4045
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 80%	4071
	21st to end	Day	1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 90%	4477
June	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 2 3 2 3 3 4 6% 73%	2470
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 2 2 3 2 2 3 3 80%	2470
	21st to end	Day	3 3 1 4 5% 4 5% 4 6% 7% 59%	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	3 2 1 5% 5% 6% 6% 5% 7% 8% 52%	4110
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 2 5% 6% 7% 8% 6% 9% 10% 41%	4110
	21st to end	Day	6% 5% 2 7% 7% 8% 9% 8% 10% 11% 25%	4454
August	1st to 10th	Day	4 4 2 8% 7% 8% 8% 7% 9% 10% 35%	4092
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 2 6% 5% 7% 8% 6% 8% 11% 41%	3968
	21st to end	Day	3 3 2 6% 5% 8% 8% 6% 8% 9% 43%	4133
September	1st to 10th	Day	7% 5% 2 7% 6% 5% 5% 5% 6% 6% 47%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	4 2 1 4 3 4 4 4 7% 7% 61%	2090
	21st to end	Day	3 2 1 4 3 4 3 3 4 5% 67%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	1 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 4 5% 76%	3330
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 3 4 82%	3150
	21st to end	Day	1 1 2 1 2 2 2 3 4 83%	3438
November	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 5% 6% 74%	1959
	11th to 20th	Day	3 2 1 3 3 3 3 2 3 5% 72%	2000
	21st to end	Day	4 5% 1 4 4 2 4 3 4 7% 62%	1833
December	1st to 10th	Day	3 2 1 2 3 2 2 2 3 5% 75%	2950
	11th to 20th	Day	3 4 2 5% 3 2 3 3 5% 7% 63%	3409
	21st to end	Day	2 3 1 3 3 3 3 2 5% 5% 69%	4510
January	1st to 10th	Night	2 3 1 4 3 4 4 3 5% 5% 65%	4175
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 2 2 2 2 3 4 5% 74%	4110
	21st to end	Night	7% 6% 2 5% 4 5% 5% 4 6% 7% 49%	4521
February	1st to 10th	Night	2 3 1 3 3 4 3 3 5% 6% 65%	2432
	11th to 20th	Night	3 5% 1 5% 3 3 4 3 5% 5% 63%	2218
	21st to end	Night	3 4 1 5% 3 3 3 4 5% 5% 64%	1756
March	1st to 10th	Night	2 3 1 4 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 67%	3430
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 2 2 3 3 2 4 5% 74%	3490
	21st to end	Night	2 4 1 4 4 4 4 3 6% 6% 61%	3828
April	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 1 2 3 3 3 3 4 6% 72%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	1 3 1 2 2 2 3 2 3 4 76%	1906
	21st to end	Night	2 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 3 4 81%	1900
May	1st to 10th	Night	1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 87%	2907
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 4 5% 81%	2834
	21st to end	Night	1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 90%	3110
June	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 1 2 3 2 2 2 4 5% 75%	1710
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 2 1 1 2 2 3 5% 79%	1710
	21st to end	Night	3 3 1 3 3 3 5% 4 6% 7% 61%	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 1 4 4 4 5% 5% 8% 10% 56%	2860
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 2 6% 6% 8% 9% 8% 12% 15% 31%	2860
	21st to end	Night	3 3 2 7% 6% 7% 8% 8% 13% 17% 26%	3109
August	1st to 10th	Night	2 4 2 7% 5% 7% 7% 7% 10% 10% 39%	2847
	11th to 20th	Night	3 3 1 4 4 6% 6% 5% 10% 17% 40%	2868
	21st to end	Night	4 3 1 5% 5% 5% 6% 5% 8% 11% 48%	3517
September	1st to 10th	Night	6% 5% 2 4 4 4 4 4 7% 8% 51%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 1 3 3 2 3 3 4 6% 69%	2090
	21st to end	Night	2 2 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 6% 72%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 5% 5% 75%	3645
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 81%	3778
	21st to end	Night	1 1 1 1 1 1 3 4 86%	4120
November	1st to 10th	Night	2 1 2 2 2 2 3 4 6% 76%	2340
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 3 2 3 2 2 5% 5% 72%	2400
	21st to end	Night	4 3 1 5% 4 3 3 3 5% 6% 62%	2564
December	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 1 3 2 2 2 2 3 4 76%	4240
	11th to 20th	Night	2 4 2 5% 4 4 3 2 4 5% 65%	4811
	21st to end	Night	3 3 1 4 3 3 4 3 4 5% 67%	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	21% 3 5% 9% 32% 30%	2913
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 4 5% 11% 39% 20%	2860
	21st to end	Day	28% 4 4 15% 33% 15%	3146
February	1st to 10th	Day	23% 3 4 11% 26% 34%	1743
	11th to 20th	Day	25% 3 4 12% 27% 29%	1860
	21st to end	Day	23% 2 3 10% 26% 36%	1696
March	1st to 10th	Day	21% 5% 4 6% 35% 29%	3444
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 4 7% 12% 38% 22%	3490
	21st to end	Day	22% 6% 6% 11% 36% 18%	3825
April	1st to 10th	Day	15% 3 3 8% 38% 33%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 2 2 6% 29% 48%	2223
	21st to end	Day	10% 2 3 7% 33% 43%	2280
May	1st to 10th	Day	8% 1 2 4 24% 62%	4045
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 3 4 7% 31% 46%	4074
	21st to end	Day	5% 1 2 3 18% 72%	4477
June	1st to 10th	Day	15% 3 3 7% 29% 43%	2470
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 2 4 5% 20% 59%	2470
	21st to end	Day	25% 5% 8% 11% 21% 30%	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	27% 8% 10% 13% 17% 26%	4046
	11th to 20th	Day	32% 10% 16% 23% 14% 4	4041
	21st to end	Day	46% 12% 19% 18% 5%	4314
August	1st to 10th	Day	40% 10% 19% 17% 11% 4	4078
	11th to 20th	Day	33% 9% 15% 20% 19% 3	4007
	21st to end	Day	33% 9% 13% 17% 20% 8%	4132
September	1st to 10th	Day	36% 7% 11% 13% 17% 15%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 6% 8% 13% 30% 22%	2090
	21st to end	Day	20% 5% 7% 14% 30% 23%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	11% 3 4 9% 20% 53%	3330
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 3 3 6% 36% 43%	3150
	21st to end	Day	8% 2 2 6% 27% 55%	3438
November	1st to 10th	Day	12% 3 4 12% 36% 32%	1959
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 3 4 10% 33% 33%	2000
	21st to end	Day	23% 4 5% 14% 25% 30%	1833
December	1st to 10th	Day	14% 2 3 9% 36% 36%	2950
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 2 4 8% 25% 38%	3408
	21st to end	Day	18% 2 3 13% 39% 25%	4510
January	1st to 10th	Night	19% 5% 6% 10% 35% 27%	4175
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 2 4 19% 39% 22%	4110
	21st to end	Night	33% 5% 6% 16% 28% 13%	4521
February	1st to 10th	Night	20% 4 5% 13% 22% 37%	2432
	11th to 20th	Night	23% 4 5% 13% 27% 28%	2219
	21st to end	Night	24% 3 4 10% 26% 34%	1756
March	1st to 10th	Night	18% 4 5% 9% 37% 27%	3430
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 3 4 16% 41% 22%	3490
	21st to end	Night	23% 5% 6% 13% 38% 15%	3828
April	1st to 10th	Night	15% 2 3 11% 39% 30%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 3 3 8% 29% 44%	1906
	21st to end	Night	10% 2 3 9% 35% 42%	1900
May	1st to 10th	Night	6% 1 2 6% 35% 49%	2907
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 2 5% 7% 30% 50%	2835
	21st to end	Night	4 1 1 4 23% 66%	3110
June	1st to 10th	Night	13% 3 3 5% 32% 45%	1710
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 2 3 4 23% 58%	1710
	21st to end	Night	19% 7% 9% 10% 21% 35%	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	21% 6% 15% 15% 17% 26%	2815
	11th to 20th	Night	34% 11% 20% 18% 11% 5%	2806
	21st to end	Night	38% 11% 29% 18% 3 1	3011
August	1st to 10th	Night	35% 11% 18% 19% 12% 5%	2838
	11th to 20th	Night	29% 8% 18% 24% 18% 3	2895
	21st to end	Night	28% 8% 17% 20% 19% 9%	3517
September	1st to 10th	Night	29% 9% 12% 17% 20% 13%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 4 8% 17% 32% 22%	2090
	21st to end	Night	14% 4 8% 16% 33% 24%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	10% 4 5% 10% 20% 50%	3645
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 3 3 13% 28% 43%	3778
	21st to end	Night	6% 1 3 9% 29% 52%	4120
November	1st to 10th	Night	11% 3 4 15% 35% 32%	2340
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 3 4 14% 32% 32%	2400
	21st to end	Night	24% 3 4 14% 29% 26%	2564
December	1st to 10th	Night	14% 3 4 10% 33% 37%	4240
	11th to 20th	Night	23% 3 4 8% 24% 38%	4811
	21st to end	Night	19% 4 4 13% 32% 29%	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	10% 15% 25% 34% 15% 1	288
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 9% 32% 34% 16% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	5% 19% 27% 35% 12% 2	297
February	1st to 10th	Day	9% 15% 28% 29% 15% 4	303
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 25% 31% 24% 8%	455
	21st to end	Day	14% 28% 32% 20% 5%	382
March	1st to 10th	Day	10% 24% 36% 20% 8% 2	460
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 23% 27% 23% 13% 4	460
	21st to end	Day	11% 28% 33% 20% 7% 2	506
April	1st to 10th	Day	4 18% 40% 23% 12% 3	460
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 23% 35% 21% 12% 3	452
	21st to end	Day	6% 19% 33% 24% 13% 5%	460
May	1st to 10th	Day	6% 18% 33% 26% 14% 3	463
	11th to 20th	Day	3 13% 35% 32% 14% 4	488
	21st to end	Day	3 13% 38% 30% 13% 3	529
June	1st to 10th	Day	3 8% 30% 37% 18% 4	490
	11th to 20th	Day	2 4 33% 37% 19% 4	490
	21st to end	Day	4 2 23% 42% 22% 7%	490
July	1st to 10th	Day	3 1 13% 39% 35% 8%	486
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 1 7% 40% 34% 13%	484
	21st to end	Day	11% 2 5% 28% 39% 15%	531
August	1st to 10th	Day	6% 1 5% 29% 39% 20%	487
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 2 7% 32% 39% 14%	477
	21st to end	Day	5% 1 8% 31% 37% 18%	539
September	1st to 10th	Day	7% 3 17% 38% 28% 8%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 3 18% 40% 26% 9%	490
	21st to end	Day	4 7% 21% 35% 23% 9%	490
October	1st to 10th	Day	3 8% 23% 31% 24% 10%	395
	11th to 20th	Day	3 7% 25% 32% 23% 10%	300
	21st to end	Day	2 8% 25% 32% 24% 9%	330
November	1st to 10th	Day	5% 13% 23% 36% 19% 3	300
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 7% 27% 36% 23% 2	300
	21st to end	Day	7% 18% 27% 32% 15% 1	300
December	1st to 10th	Day	8% 12% 25% 34% 18% 2	300
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 12% 35% 28% 16% 3	300
	21st to end	Day	8% 18% 28% 31% 12% 4	330
January	1st to 10th	Night	4 5% 20% 42% 24% 4	784
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 5% 20% 42% 24% 3	760
	21st to end	Night	8% 8% 22% 40% 19% 3	836
February	1st to 10th	Night	4 9% 22% 37% 23% 4	760
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 10% 26% 38% 18% 2	744
	21st to end	Night	6% 12% 27% 39% 14% 2	628
March	1st to 10th	Night	5% 12% 28% 38% 16% 1	760
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 9% 21% 35% 25% 5%	760
	21st to end	Night	5% 8% 24% 40% 21% 3	836
April	1st to 10th	Night	3 7% 25% 42% 19% 3	760
	11th to 20th	Night	3 11% 29% 39% 18% 1	592
	21st to end	Night	2 9% 25% 41% 20% 3	570
May	1st to 10th	Night	3 8% 22% 41% 25% 2	570
	11th to 20th	Night	1 4 21% 45% 25% 3	561
	21st to end	Night	1 4 25% 41% 28% 1	617
June	1st to 10th	Night	4 3 11% 47% 33% 2	570
	11th to 20th	Night	2 3 15% 48% 32% 1	570
	21st to end	Night	3 2 11% 37% 42% 5%	570
July	1st to 10th	Night	3 1 6% 30% 53% 8%	555
	11th to 20th	Night	3 1 3 25% 58% 10%	552
	21st to end	Night	4 1 4 24% 51% 16%	624
August	1st to 10th	Night	3 1 3 17% 57% 18%	567
	11th to 20th	Night	4 1 4 19% 56% 15%	564
	21st to end	Night	6% 1 4 18% 53% 18%	644
September	1st to 10th	Night	6% 2 9% 26% 46% 12%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	4 1 6% 35% 44% 10%	760
	21st to end	Night	3 2 13% 35% 38% 8%	760
October	1st to 10th	Night	2 3 15% 36% 39% 5%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	3 3 15% 40% 33% 6%	760
	21st to end	Night	2 4 15% 37% 34% 8%	836
November	1st to 10th	Night	3 5% 16% 38% 31% 6%	780
	11th to 20th	Night	3 5% 16% 40% 32% 4	800
	21st to end	Night	7% 8% 21% 39% 21% 5%	800
December	1st to 10th	Night	5% 5% 19% 45% 22% 5%	800
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 9% 19% 42% 21% 3	800
	21st to end	Night	5% 9% 22% 38% 21% 5%	880

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