Desert Sky Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Desert Sky Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-02-20.

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	4 3 1 3 3 2 3 3 4 6% 67%	78874
	Night	5% 3 1 3 3 2 3 4 4 6% 65%	80382
Transparency	Day	20% 2 3 12% 26% 37%	78601
	Night	21% 2 3 12% 26% 36%	80177
Seeing	Day	5% 4 15% 32% 31% 14%	13926
	Night	5% 2 12% 42% 34% 4	24178

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	7% 5% 3 5% 3 2 3 3 4 4 62%	2858
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 3 1 3 4 3 4 4 4 6% 63%	2860
	21st to end	Day	12% 5% 1 3 4 3 4 4 6% 7% 51%	3146
February	1st to 10th	Day	6% 5% 2 3 3 1 4 3 5% 6% 64%	1757
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 3 2 4 3 2 3 3 4 5% 61%	1841
	21st to end	Day	8% 4 1 3 3 2 3 3 4 6% 61%	1522
March	1st to 10th	Day	6% 4 1 3 4 2 3 4 6% 6% 60%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 3 1 3 3 2 2 4 5% 6% 64%	1980
	21st to end	Day	5% 3 1 4 3 2 3 4 3 4 68%	2178
April	1st to 10th	Day	3 2 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 8% 71%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 1 1 2 1 3 2 3 4 77%	2077
	21st to end	Day	2 2 2 2 1 2 2 3 5% 79%	2265
May	1st to 10th	Day	1 2 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 5% 78%	2340
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 6% 77%	2301
	21st to end	Day	2 1 2 1 1 2 2 3 86%	2530
June	1st to 10th	Day	2 1 1 2 1 1 2 3 3 5% 79%	2340
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 88%	2340
	21st to end	Day	1 2 1 2 2 1 2 3 3 6% 76%	2340
July	1st to 10th	Day	3 2 2 3 3 2 4 4 5% 8% 64%	2340
	11th to 20th	Day	3 2 1 4 5% 3 6% 7% 8% 12% 51%	2340
	21st to end	Day	6% 2 2 5% 6% 3 6% 6% 8% 12% 44%	2545
August	1st to 10th	Day	3 3 2 4 4 3 5% 5% 6% 9% 58%	2328
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 2 4 4 3 5% 5% 7% 10% 54%	2299
	21st to end	Day	3 3 1 3 5% 3 5% 4 6% 9% 59%	2358
September	1st to 10th	Day	4 3 2 3 3 2 3 4 5% 7% 64%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	3 1 1 2 1 2 3 4 5% 77%	1980
	21st to end	Day	3 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 5% 75%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Day	3 2 1 2 2 1 3 4 4 5% 72%	1924
	11th to 20th	Day	2 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 3 4 83%	1800
	21st to end	Day	2 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 79%	1980
November	1st to 10th	Day	3 2 1 2 2 2 2 3 4 7% 74%	1859
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 1 3 3 2 3 3 3 4 73%	1791
	21st to end	Day	6% 3 1 4 3 2 3 3 3 6% 65%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	8% 3 1 3 4 2 4 4 4 6% 61%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 5% 2 5% 5% 3 3 4 7% 7% 52%	2169
	21st to end	Day	11% 5% 2 4 4 2 4 4 4 6% 54%	3146
January	1st to 10th	Night	7% 6% 2 4 4 2 3 4 4 6% 59%	4097
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 2 1 3 3 2 3 3 3 5% 71%	4110
	21st to end	Night	16% 6% 2 4 3 2 4 4 4 6% 50%	4521
February	1st to 10th	Night	7% 4 1 3 3 2 3 4 4 6% 65%	2418
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 5% 2 4 3 2 3 4 4 6% 60%	2211
	21st to end	Night	9% 4 2 3 4 2 3 4 4 6% 60%	1732
March	1st to 10th	Night	6% 3 1 3 3 2 3 4 5% 7% 63%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 3 2 3 2 2 3 2 3 5% 68%	1980
	21st to end	Night	5% 3 1 3 3 1 3 3 5% 7% 65%	2178
April	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 2 2 2 2 4 3 4 7% 69%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	3 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 76%	1831
	21st to end	Night	2 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 3 5% 79%	1691
May	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 1 2 1 1 2 3 4 6% 76%	1620
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 2 2 1 3 2 3 6% 77%	1594
	21st to end	Night	2 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 3 86%	1746
June	1st to 10th	Night	2 1 1 2 2 1 3 3 3 6% 76%	1620
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 1 2 2 3 4 86%	1620
	21st to end	Night	2 1 1 2 3 2 2 4 4 5% 75%	1620
July	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 1 4 5% 3 4 4 6% 9% 58%	1620
	11th to 20th	Night	1 2 1 4 5% 3 6% 7% 9% 13% 49%	1620
	21st to end	Night	4 3 2 5% 5% 4 7% 7% 10% 14% 38%	1773
August	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 1 4 4 3 5% 5% 8% 10% 55%	1611
	11th to 20th	Night	2 4 2 5% 6% 3 4 6% 7% 8% 52%	1602
	21st to end	Night	3 3 1 4 5% 2 5% 7% 7% 9% 54%	1991
September	1st to 10th	Night	4 3 1 4 4 2 4 5% 6% 7% 59%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 3 2 2 2 3 3 5% 74%	1980
	21st to end	Night	2 1 1 3 2 2 3 4 4 6% 72%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Night	4 2 1 2 3 1 3 4 5% 5% 71%	2034
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 4 81%	2160
	21st to end	Night	1 2 1 1 1 2 2 3 2 4 81%	2376
November	1st to 10th	Night	4 2 1 2 2 1 2 4 4 6% 72%	2220
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 1 3 3 2 3 2 3 5% 74%	2384
	21st to end	Night	7% 3 2 3 3 2 3 3 4 5% 66%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	8% 3 1 3 3 2 3 4 5% 6% 63%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 5% 2 6% 4 2 3 4 5% 6% 52%	3041
	21st to end	Night	11% 4 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 56%	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	29% 1 2 15% 36% 17%	2859
	11th to 20th	Day	26% 1 2 17% 35% 19%	2860
	21st to end	Day	34% 2 4 15% 28% 17%	3146
February	1st to 10th	Day	23% 2 3 15% 23% 35%	1757
	11th to 20th	Day	28% 2 2 13% 27% 29%	1851
	21st to end	Day	26% 2 1 14% 27% 30%	1522
March	1st to 10th	Day	24% 2 1 10% 29% 33%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 2 2 11% 26% 38%	1980
	21st to end	Day	21% 1 1 9% 35% 32%	2178
April	1st to 10th	Day	15% 2 1 8% 36% 39%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 2 1 7% 28% 50%	2080
	21st to end	Day	11% 1 1 9% 26% 52%	2265
May	1st to 10th	Day	12% 2 1 7% 25% 53%	2340
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 1 1 8% 25% 53%	2304
	21st to end	Day	8% 1 5% 22% 64%	2530
June	1st to 10th	Day	10% 1 4 21% 63%	2340
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 1 1 11% 80%	2340
	21st to end	Day	12% 2 1 6% 18% 62%	2340
July	1st to 10th	Day	20% 3 4 11% 21% 42%	2276
	11th to 20th	Day	26% 4 11% 25% 22% 12%	2271
	21st to end	Day	30% 4 16% 23% 18% 10%	2404
August	1st to 10th	Day	23% 3 9% 18% 18% 29%	2313
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 4 9% 22% 22% 20%	2299
	21st to end	Day	22% 3 7% 18% 28% 22%	2358
September	1st to 10th	Day	21% 2 5% 16% 25% 31%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 2 2 9% 31% 45%	1980
	21st to end	Day	14% 2 2 8% 24% 50%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Day	16% 2 3 13% 24% 43%	1924
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 1 2 7% 26% 56%	1800
	21st to end	Day	12% 1 2 10% 26% 49%	1980
November	1st to 10th	Day	12% 2 12% 36% 38%	1859
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 2 1 11% 26% 44%	1791
	21st to end	Day	24% 1 2 12% 24% 36%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	26% 2 2 15% 25% 31%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	31% 1 5% 18% 25% 20%	2168
	21st to end	Day	33% 2 3 18% 27% 17%	3146
January	1st to 10th	Night	28% 1 2 12% 38% 18%	4097
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 1 1 17% 42% 20%	4110
	21st to end	Night	38% 1 4 12% 29% 16%	4521
February	1st to 10th	Night	23% 1 3 12% 24% 37%	2418
	11th to 20th	Night	27% 2 2 15% 26% 28%	2212
	21st to end	Night	27% 2 1 10% 27% 33%	1732
March	1st to 10th	Night	21% 2 2 12% 26% 37%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 2 1 10% 25% 41%	1980
	21st to end	Night	20% 1 2 10% 35% 32%	2178
April	1st to 10th	Night	17% 2 1 8% 31% 42%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 2 6% 27% 50%	1831
	21st to end	Night	11% 1 1 6% 25% 56%	1691
May	1st to 10th	Night	11% 1 1 8% 26% 52%	1620
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 1 2 8% 22% 56%	1595
	21st to end	Night	8% 1 5% 19% 67%	1746
June	1st to 10th	Night	12% 1 3 19% 65%	1620
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 1 3 12% 78%	1620
	21st to end	Night	14% 2 2 5% 12% 65%	1620
July	1st to 10th	Night	24% 2 5% 12% 16% 41%	1575
	11th to 20th	Night	23% 5% 12% 23% 24% 14%	1566
	21st to end	Night	33% 4 14% 22% 17% 10%	1674
August	1st to 10th	Night	21% 4 9% 21% 15% 30%	1602
	11th to 20th	Night	27% 3 10% 19% 19% 21%	1602
	21st to end	Night	24% 4 7% 17% 24% 23%	1991
September	1st to 10th	Night	23% 3 6% 20% 20% 28%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	16% 2 2 9% 25% 46%	1980
	21st to end	Night	16% 3 1 8% 24% 48%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Night	16% 2 2 14% 23% 44%	2034
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 1 1 8% 23% 58%	2160
	21st to end	Night	10% 2 1 10% 24% 54%	2376
November	1st to 10th	Night	15% 1 1 9% 30% 43%	2220
	11th to 20th	Night	16% 1 1 11% 25% 45%	2384
	21st to end	Night	22% 1 2 11% 29% 36%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	23% 2 2 17% 24% 32%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	34% 2 3 14% 25% 22%	3041
	21st to end	Night	32% 1 2 18% 26% 20%	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	12% 4 16% 40% 24% 5%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 3 14% 37% 26% 7%	270
	21st to end	Day	6% 5% 19% 41% 21% 8%	297
February	1st to 10th	Day	9% 5% 22% 34% 24% 6%	317
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 6% 25% 36% 21% 2	452
	21st to end	Day	10% 7% 27% 39% 16% 1	346
March	1st to 10th	Day	6% 9% 26% 39% 17% 3	420
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 6% 23% 30% 27% 5%	420
	21st to end	Day	6% 9% 26% 39% 17% 3	462
April	1st to 10th	Day	5% 5% 24% 36% 22% 8%	420
	11th to 20th	Day	3 8% 27% 35% 20% 6%	412
	21st to end	Day	2 8% 25% 33% 21% 10%	420
May	1st to 10th	Day	2 7% 23% 33% 26% 10%	423
	11th to 20th	Day	2 3 19% 40% 25% 10%	448
	21st to end	Day	1 6% 19% 38% 29% 7%	485
June	1st to 10th	Day	3 2 14% 33% 35% 13%	450
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 15% 34% 34% 14%	450
	21st to end	Day	1 2 7% 36% 42% 12%	450
July	1st to 10th	Day	2 4 31% 39% 23%	446
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 1 3 20% 40% 32%	444
	21st to end	Day	4 1 1 17% 42% 34%	487
August	1st to 10th	Day	4 1 2 21% 41% 32%	447
	11th to 20th	Day	3 2 1 20% 43% 32%	437
	21st to end	Day	1 1 2 17% 44% 35%	495
September	1st to 10th	Day	5% 1 6% 24% 42% 22%	450
	11th to 20th	Day	4 1 8% 24% 45% 18%	450
	21st to end	Day	3 3 11% 33% 32% 17%	450
October	1st to 10th	Day	4 2 16% 32% 34% 12%	394
	11th to 20th	Day	4 14% 29% 39% 13%	270
	21st to end	Day	3 1 14% 36% 34% 13%	297
November	1st to 10th	Day	5% 3 13% 37% 33% 9%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	4 3 12% 39% 34% 8%	270
	21st to end	Day	7% 1 21% 37% 27% 7%	270
December	1st to 10th	Day	10% 3 12% 40% 28% 7%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 3 17% 46% 24% 4	270
	21st to end	Day	16% 5% 22% 31% 22% 4	297
January	1st to 10th	Night	8% 2 15% 49% 23% 3	760
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 2 17% 44% 25% 3	760
	21st to end	Night	11% 4 17% 45% 19% 3	836
February	1st to 10th	Night	9% 3 17% 44% 25% 2	760
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 2 19% 48% 20% 1	742
	21st to end	Night	10% 3 18% 48% 19% 2	592
March	1st to 10th	Night	7% 2 22% 50% 18% 2	720
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 3 14% 40% 29% 7%	720
	21st to end	Night	5% 3 17% 44% 29% 2	792
April	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 15% 53% 24% 3	720
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 21% 49% 23% 2	587
	21st to end	Night	4 2 15% 52% 24% 4	540
May	1st to 10th	Night	3 3 14% 49% 29% 3	540
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 11% 52% 29% 4	531
	21st to end	Night	3 1 11% 50% 31% 4	584
June	1st to 10th	Night	2 1 6% 47% 41% 2	540
	11th to 20th	Night	1 6% 52% 39% 2	540
	21st to end	Night	2 1 4 37% 51% 4	540
July	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 4 32% 54% 6%	525
	11th to 20th	Night	3 1 2 19% 66% 9%	522
	21st to end	Night	4 1 3 14% 65% 13%	591
August	1st to 10th	Night	2 1 18% 67% 11%	537
	11th to 20th	Night	3 1 3 20% 64% 9%	534
	21st to end	Night	3 1 2 21% 63% 10%	657
September	1st to 10th	Night	5% 1 4 28% 52% 9%	720
	11th to 20th	Night	2 1 7% 38% 46% 6%	720
	21st to end	Night	2 2 8% 41% 40% 7%	720
October	1st to 10th	Night	4 1 11% 47% 34% 3	720
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 9% 48% 35% 4	720
	21st to end	Night	2 2 13% 42% 34% 7%	792
November	1st to 10th	Night	4 1 11% 48% 31% 5%	740
	11th to 20th	Night	3 1 13% 49% 31% 4	760
	21st to end	Night	6% 2 17% 44% 27% 4	760
December	1st to 10th	Night	8% 3 14% 45% 28% 2	760
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 3 13% 46% 24% 2	760
	21st to end	Night	10% 2 15% 48% 22% 4	836

Page generated at 2024-02-17 04:28:39. Version ac07

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