Daniel B. Milliken Planetarium
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Daniel B. Milliken Planetarium clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-01-12.

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	5% 3 1 3 3 2 3 3 4 6% 67%	75329
	Night	6% 4 1 3 3 2 3 3 4 6% 66%	74415
Transparency	Day	19% 3 6% 16% 26% 30%	75054
	Night	21% 4 7% 17% 24% 27%	74212
Seeing	Day	6% 7% 23% 36% 20% 8%	14584
	Night	6% 3 12% 36% 35% 8%	24488

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	9% 4 2 3 4 3 4 3 4 6% 59%	1708
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 3 2 3 4 2 3 4 4 7% 60%	1727
	21st to end	Day	10% 5% 2 4 3 2 3 3 4 4 59%	1980
February	1st to 10th	Day	9% 3 2 3 3 2 2 3 4 6% 64%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 3 2 4 3 2 3 3 4 5% 61%	1750
	21st to end	Day	10% 6% 3 4 5% 2 3 3 4 6% 54%	1480
March	1st to 10th	Day	9% 5% 2 5% 5% 3 5% 4 6% 7% 50%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 5% 2 4 4 2 3 4 6% 9% 55%	1854
	21st to end	Day	6% 4 2 5% 4 3 5% 5% 5% 7% 55%	2348
April	1st to 10th	Day	7% 4 2 3 3 2 4 4 6% 8% 56%	2160
	11th to 20th	Day	4 4 2 3 3 2 3 4 5% 6% 63%	2129
	21st to end	Day	6% 4 1 3 3 2 3 3 4 6% 65%	2160
May	1st to 10th	Day	5% 5% 2 4 3 2 3 3 5% 7% 61%	2258
	11th to 20th	Day	4 5% 1 4 3 2 2 4 5% 6% 63%	2301
	21st to end	Day	5% 4 2 4 4 2 3 4 4 6% 62%	2530
June	1st to 10th	Day	4 3 1 2 3 2 3 2 5% 8% 67%	2340
	11th to 20th	Day	2 3 1 2 2 1 2 3 4 5% 77%	2430
	21st to end	Day	1 1 1 2 2 1 2 2 3 4 80%	2520
July	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 4 6% 77%	2520
	11th to 20th	Day	2 1 1 1 2 1 2 3 4 6% 78%	2399
	21st to end	Day	2 1 1 2 2 1 3 4 5% 8% 71%	2434
August	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 1 1 2 1 2 3 2 5% 82%	2149
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 5% 83%	2122
	21st to end	Day	1 1 1 2 2 2 3 4 5% 79%	2376
September	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 2 2 1 1 2 4 6% 79%	2160
	11th to 20th	Day	2 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 3 3 83%	1998
	21st to end	Day	2 2 1 2 2 1 1 3 3 4 79%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Day	4 3 1 2 3 2 3 2 4 6% 70%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	4 3 1 2 2 1 2 2 4 3 77%	1913
	21st to end	Day	4 3 1 2 2 2 1 4 4 4 73%	1904
November	1st to 10th	Day	4 2 1 3 2 2 3 3 4 6% 71%	1674
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 3 1 2 3 2 3 3 4 6% 68%	1710
	21st to end	Day	6% 2 2 4 3 3 3 4 5% 7% 62%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	7% 4 2 4 3 2 3 3 4 7% 60%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 6% 2 5% 4 3 4 4 5% 9% 44%	2169
	21st to end	Day	13% 7% 2 5% 6% 3 4 5% 4 5% 47%	3146
January	1st to 10th	Night	10% 4 1 3 5% 2 3 3 5% 7% 57%	2457
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 5% 2 2 2 1 3 4 4 7% 62%	2267
	21st to end	Night	11% 4 2 4 3 2 3 3 4 6% 60%	2376
February	1st to 10th	Night	9% 4 2 3 3 1 3 3 4 5% 64%	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 4 2 3 3 2 3 3 3 5% 64%	2098
	21st to end	Night	11% 7% 2 3 3 3 3 4 5% 5% 55%	1776
March	1st to 10th	Night	8% 7% 2 5% 4 2 4 4 6% 7% 50%	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 5% 2 4 2 2 3 3 5% 8% 57%	2106
	21st to end	Night	8% 6% 3 4 4 2 3 4 5% 6% 56%	2004
April	1st to 10th	Night	8% 5% 2 4 3 2 3 3 5% 7% 58%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 6% 2 2 2 2 3 3 4 6% 65%	1779
	21st to end	Night	6% 4 2 4 2 1 3 3 5% 6% 65%	1800
May	1st to 10th	Night	5% 4 2 4 4 2 3 3 5% 6% 64%	1697
	11th to 20th	Night	3 4 2 3 3 1 3 3 6% 7% 65%	1594
	21st to end	Night	3 3 1 2 3 1 2 4 5% 6% 69%	1746
June	1st to 10th	Night	2 3 1 2 2 1 2 4 5% 7% 72%	1620
	11th to 20th	Night	1 2 1 2 1 2 2 3 5% 80%	1522
	21st to end	Night	2 1 1 1 1 1 2 4 4 83%	1440
July	1st to 10th	Night	1 1 1 2 2 3 5% 85%	1440
	11th to 20th	Night	2 1 1 2 2 1 2 3 4 5% 79%	1552
	21st to end	Night	2 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 6% 73%	1881
August	1st to 10th	Night	2 1 1 2 1 2 2 3 5% 81%	1790
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 4 85%	1780
	21st to end	Night	1 1 1 1 1 2 2 4 5% 81%	1980
September	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 1 2 2 1 2 2 5% 5% 78%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 5% 3 84%	1960
	21st to end	Night	2 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 82%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 1 3 3 2 2 3 5% 5% 71%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	4 2 1 3 1 1 2 2 4 3 76%	2042
	21st to end	Night	3 3 1 2 2 2 3 2 5% 4 73%	2451
November	1st to 10th	Night	4 3 1 2 3 2 2 3 3 5% 72%	2405
	11th to 20th	Night	4 3 1 3 3 1 2 3 3 6% 70%	2470
	21st to end	Night	7% 4 2 3 3 3 4 4 5% 7% 59%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	9% 5% 1 4 4 2 3 4 5% 6% 58%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 6% 3 5% 4 2 4 4 5% 7% 46%	3041
	21st to end	Night	10% 8% 2 5% 5% 3 4 4 5% 7% 48%	4521

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	26% 3 8% 18% 24% 22%	1709
	11th to 20th	Day	23% 4 8% 13% 24% 28%	1727
	21st to end	Day	27% 2 7% 15% 20% 28%	1980
February	1st to 10th	Day	23% 3 6% 12% 25% 32%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	25% 2 4 15% 25% 28%	1760
	21st to end	Day	31% 2 6% 15% 23% 23%	1480
March	1st to 10th	Day	30% 4 9% 17% 18% 22%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	25% 4 10% 18% 24% 20%	1854
	21st to end	Day	24% 6% 10% 22% 22% 17%	2348
April	1st to 10th	Day	24% 5% 10% 24% 22% 16%	2160
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 4 6% 21% 27% 21%	2132
	21st to end	Day	20% 4 7% 21% 33% 16%	2160
May	1st to 10th	Day	22% 5% 11% 18% 26% 18%	2258
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 4 7% 20% 31% 15%	2304
	21st to end	Day	24% 4 8% 26% 27% 11%	2530
June	1st to 10th	Day	19% 5% 8% 19% 31% 18%	2340
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 3 4 14% 31% 35%	2430
	21st to end	Day	12% 3 3 8% 27% 47%	2520
July	1st to 10th	Day	10% 4 3 11% 22% 51%	2451
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 4 7% 17% 28% 34%	2326
	21st to end	Day	12% 5% 8% 22% 32% 22%	2299
August	1st to 10th	Day	9% 2 3 11% 32% 44%	2135
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 2 3 13% 33% 42%	2122
	21st to end	Day	10% 3 4 9% 34% 41%	2376
September	1st to 10th	Day	10% 2 5% 9% 31% 42%	2160
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 2 3 10% 32% 44%	1998
	21st to end	Day	10% 2 3 13% 31% 41%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Day	18% 2 5% 17% 23% 35%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 2 3 11% 28% 40%	1913
	21st to end	Day	14% 3 4 10% 21% 47%	1904
November	1st to 10th	Day	15% 2 5% 13% 27% 37%	1674
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 2 5% 13% 21% 42%	1710
	21st to end	Day	22% 3 7% 11% 22% 35%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	24% 3 8% 17% 20% 29%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	35% 5% 9% 13% 17% 21%	2168
	21st to end	Day	36% 5% 8% 19% 19% 13%	3146
January	1st to 10th	Night	28% 3 7% 16% 24% 23%	2457
	11th to 20th	Night	24% 4 7% 15% 21% 29%	2267
	21st to end	Night	28% 4 8% 14% 16% 31%	2376
February	1st to 10th	Night	24% 3 8% 13% 23% 29%	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	23% 3 7% 18% 22% 27%	2099
	21st to end	Night	31% 4 7% 14% 21% 23%	1776
March	1st to 10th	Night	31% 6% 6% 19% 18% 19%	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	26% 5% 10% 17% 24% 19%	2106
	21st to end	Night	28% 6% 9% 22% 20% 15%	2004
April	1st to 10th	Night	26% 6% 12% 24% 17% 15%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 4 9% 23% 24% 18%	1779
	21st to end	Night	22% 5% 9% 26% 27% 12%	1800
May	1st to 10th	Night	24% 5% 11% 22% 22% 16%	1697
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 6% 11% 26% 24% 11%	1595
	21st to end	Night	19% 6% 11% 32% 24% 8%	1746
June	1st to 10th	Night	16% 6% 11% 22% 29% 16%	1620
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 3 7% 18% 32% 28%	1522
	21st to end	Night	8% 3 5% 12% 30% 42%	1440
July	1st to 10th	Night	6% 2 4 16% 28% 44%	1400
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 3 8% 23% 28% 29%	1502
	21st to end	Night	14% 4 9% 24% 32% 18%	1776
August	1st to 10th	Night	9% 2 5% 15% 35% 34%	1780
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 2 4 15% 39% 34%	1780
	21st to end	Night	9% 3 5% 13% 35% 36%	1980
September	1st to 10th	Night	12% 4 5% 10% 30% 39%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 2 5% 11% 33% 40%	1960
	21st to end	Night	11% 2 3 16% 33% 35%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Night	17% 4 5% 18% 24% 31%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	16% 2 5% 14% 29% 34%	2042
	21st to end	Night	19% 3 3 9% 20% 46%	2451
November	1st to 10th	Night	18% 3 5% 15% 25% 35%	2405
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 3 5% 14% 20% 41%	2470
	21st to end	Night	25% 3 6% 15% 17% 34%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	27% 4 7% 14% 18% 30%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	36% 4 9% 14% 21% 17%	3041
	21st to end	Night	37% 5% 9% 19% 17% 13%	4521

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	16% 6% 17% 44% 16% 1	270
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 8% 20% 35% 19% 3	339
	21st to end	Day	11% 14% 27% 32% 15% 2	462
February	1st to 10th	Day	12% 10% 26% 31% 15% 5%	420
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 12% 33% 31% 12% 2	415
	21st to end	Day	12% 14% 29% 33% 11% 1	346
March	1st to 10th	Day	14% 15% 29% 28% 12% 2	420
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 10% 32% 28% 14% 3	420
	21st to end	Day	8% 17% 36% 26% 11% 2	462
April	1st to 10th	Day	9% 12% 29% 28% 18% 5%	420
	11th to 20th	Day	4 16% 39% 25% 11% 5%	412
	21st to end	Day	5% 14% 30% 27% 15% 8%	420
May	1st to 10th	Day	6% 14% 32% 30% 14% 4	423
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 10% 29% 36% 16% 4	448
	21st to end	Day	7% 9% 28% 36% 17% 4	485
June	1st to 10th	Day	4 6% 21% 38% 22% 9%	450
	11th to 20th	Day	2 5% 22% 36% 23% 10%	450
	21st to end	Day	2 3 20% 38% 25% 11%	450
July	1st to 10th	Day	2 1 13% 45% 27% 13%	446
	11th to 20th	Day	1 11% 43% 27% 18%	444
	21st to end	Day	2 1 11% 47% 24% 17%	487
August	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 15% 44% 23% 14%	447
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 11% 43% 26% 16%	437
	21st to end	Day	2 1 12% 44% 25% 17%	495
September	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 20% 42% 23% 11%	450
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 21% 42% 24% 8%	450
	21st to end	Day	2 4 27% 32% 23% 12%	450
October	1st to 10th	Day	4 6% 27% 33% 23% 7%	450
	11th to 20th	Day	2 8% 23% 34% 27% 5%	450
	21st to end	Day	6% 4 26% 31% 25% 9%	419
November	1st to 10th	Day	6% 4 19% 34% 30% 7%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	4 6% 19% 37% 27% 8%	270
	21st to end	Day	6% 8% 18% 37% 26% 6%	270
December	1st to 10th	Day	11% 5% 16% 39% 25% 4	270
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 8% 19% 36% 23% 7%	270
	21st to end	Day	14% 9% 21% 38% 14% 3	297
January	1st to 10th	Night	12% 5% 16% 41% 21% 6%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 3 19% 40% 25% 4	728
	21st to end	Night	12% 4 20% 39% 21% 3	792
February	1st to 10th	Night	9% 4 16% 42% 23% 6%	720
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 4 17% 44% 22% 4	704
	21st to end	Night	15% 4 16% 41% 19% 4	592
March	1st to 10th	Night	9% 3 19% 43% 21% 3	720
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 4 13% 37% 28% 7%	720
	21st to end	Night	8% 5% 18% 42% 25% 3	792
April	1st to 10th	Night	10% 4 14% 42% 26% 4	720
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 5% 18% 40% 27% 3	711
	21st to end	Night	7% 6% 15% 36% 31% 6%	720
May	1st to 10th	Night	6% 5% 15% 39% 29% 4	617
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 4 14% 33% 37% 7%	531
	21st to end	Night	4 5% 17% 39% 30% 4	584
June	1st to 10th	Night	2 4 16% 37% 39% 4	540
	11th to 20th	Night	2 3 9% 35% 47% 5%	442
	21st to end	Night	2 2 31% 58% 7%	360
July	1st to 10th	Night	1 19% 68% 12%	350
	11th to 20th	Night	2 3 24% 60% 10%	458
	21st to end	Night	2 3 22% 61% 11%	699
August	1st to 10th	Night	3 1 5% 27% 53% 13%	716
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 3 20% 58% 17%	712
	21st to end	Night	1 4 20% 57% 18%	792
September	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 5% 23% 52% 16%	720
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 6% 27% 50% 13%	720
	21st to end	Night	2 1 8% 32% 44% 12%	720
October	1st to 10th	Night	5% 2 10% 39% 39% 6%	720
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 2 12% 34% 39% 9%	720
	21st to end	Night	5% 4 13% 35% 32% 11%	792
November	1st to 10th	Night	6% 2 11% 39% 33% 9%	740
	11th to 20th	Night	4 1 11% 43% 30% 10%	760
	21st to end	Night	7% 3 14% 42% 29% 5%	760
December	1st to 10th	Night	11% 4 14% 40% 26% 6%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 4 17% 42% 22% 4	760
	21st to end	Night	12% 4 19% 41% 19% 5%	836

Page generated at 2024-01-09 13:24:22. Version ac07

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