McMahan MP Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the McMahan MP Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-01-15.

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	12% 6% 2 5% 5% 3 5% 5% 6% 7% 45%	74911
	Night	13% 5% 2 4 4 2 4 4 5% 7% 51%	74893
Transparency	Day	37% 7% 11% 19% 18% 8%	74636
	Night	33% 6% 12% 21% 18% 10%	74688
Seeing	Day	13% 5% 18% 28% 26% 10%	13685
	Night	15% 6% 25% 36% 17% 2	23729

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	17% 6% 2 5% 4 2 3 4 5% 5% 47%	1707
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 6% 2 4 3 2 3 3 5% 5% 46%	1656
	21st to end	Day	17% 6% 2 4 4 2 3 3 4 6% 50%	1870
February	1st to 10th	Day	22% 7% 3 5% 4 2 3 3 4 5% 43%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 7% 2 5% 4 3 4 3 4 6% 42%	1749
	21st to end	Day	19% 6% 3 5% 3 2 4 4 4 5% 45%	1496
March	1st to 10th	Day	20% 8% 3 6% 5% 3 4 4 5% 6% 38%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 7% 2 5% 4 4 4 4 5% 6% 43%	1980
	21st to end	Day	17% 6% 2 5% 4 2 4 4 4 6% 47%	2178
April	1st to 10th	Day	15% 8% 3 6% 4 3 4 5% 6% 5% 41%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 7% 3 5% 6% 3 4 5% 4 6% 41%	1956
	21st to end	Day	15% 6% 3 4 4 3 4 4 6% 7% 45%	2252
May	1st to 10th	Day	14% 6% 3 6% 5% 4 4 5% 6% 6% 40%	2340
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 6% 3 7% 6% 3 5% 6% 6% 7% 40%	2302
	21st to end	Day	12% 6% 3 5% 6% 4 7% 6% 8% 9% 36%	2531
June	1st to 10th	Day	5% 4 1 5% 5% 3 6% 6% 7% 10% 48%	2340
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 4 2 4 5% 3 6% 5% 6% 10% 47%	2340
	21st to end	Day	6% 5% 3 6% 7% 5% 6% 7% 8% 10% 37%	2340
July	1st to 10th	Day	10% 5% 3 7% 7% 4 5% 7% 7% 10% 36%	2340
	11th to 20th	Day	4 3 2 4 5% 4 7% 5% 7% 12% 45%	2340
	21st to end	Day	4 3 2 4 4 4 6% 6% 8% 12% 48%	2546
August	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 4 4 3 6% 5% 6% 9% 58%	2328
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 3 2 4 5% 3 6% 6% 7% 9% 50%	2181
	21st to end	Day	5% 4 2 5% 6% 4 6% 7% 9% 11% 42%	2237
September	1st to 10th	Day	7% 5% 2 6% 6% 4 7% 5% 6% 7% 44%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 5% 3 6% 7% 4 6% 6% 6% 7% 39%	1980
	21st to end	Day	8% 4 2 5% 4 3 5% 5% 6% 8% 48%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Day	7% 4 2 4 4 2 5% 5% 6% 8% 53%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 5% 2 3 5% 2 4 4 4 7% 51%	1825
	21st to end	Day	11% 5% 2 4 3 2 4 3 4 6% 57%	1980
November	1st to 10th	Day	12% 7% 3 5% 5% 3 4 5% 4 7% 47%	1858
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 6% 2 5% 4 2 4 4 4 6% 51%	1843
	21st to end	Day	18% 7% 3 4 4 3 4 3 4 5% 44%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	17% 8% 2 4 4 3 4 4 5% 6% 43%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 6% 3 5% 5% 3 3 4 4 5% 44%	2161
	21st to end	Day	16% 8% 2 4 3 2 3 3 3 5% 51%	3135
January	1st to 10th	Night	17% 6% 1 3 3 2 3 3 5% 7% 50%	2458
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 5% 2 4 3 2 3 3 4 4 52%	2399
	21st to end	Night	18% 6% 2 3 4 2 3 3 3 5% 49%	2502
February	1st to 10th	Night	20% 7% 2 4 4 2 3 3 4 5% 46%	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	20% 6% 2 3 3 2 3 3 3 6% 49%	2098
	21st to end	Night	22% 6% 3 4 3 2 4 3 4 6% 43%	1758
March	1st to 10th	Night	17% 7% 2 4 3 3 4 4 5% 6% 44%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 8% 3 5% 4 3 4 4 4 5% 43%	1980
	21st to end	Night	15% 6% 3 4 4 2 3 3 5% 6% 50%	2178
April	1st to 10th	Night	13% 6% 2 5% 4 2 4 4 6% 8% 45%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 6% 3 5% 4 3 3 3 5% 7% 45%	1953
	21st to end	Night	15% 5% 3 6% 4 2 4 3 5% 5% 48%	1701
May	1st to 10th	Night	13% 5% 3 5% 6% 3 5% 4 5% 8% 43%	1620
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 5% 2 4 5% 4 5% 5% 5% 9% 46%	1593
	21st to end	Night	10% 5% 2 4 4 3 5% 5% 6% 11% 45%	1745
June	1st to 10th	Night	5% 3 1 4 3 2 3 4 6% 9% 60%	1620
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 1 2 4 3 5% 4 6% 11% 57%	1620
	21st to end	Night	6% 3 2 5% 5% 3 6% 6% 5% 9% 49%	1620
July	1st to 10th	Night	6% 5% 3 5% 5% 3 5% 5% 7% 10% 47%	1620
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 1 2 2 3 4 4 7% 11% 61%	1620
	21st to end	Night	3 2 1 3 3 2 3 5% 8% 11% 59%	1772
August	1st to 10th	Night	1 2 1 2 2 2 3 4 5% 8% 71%	1611
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 3 1 3 4 3 4 6% 8% 11% 52%	1715
	21st to end	Night	5% 3 1 4 5% 3 5% 5% 7% 11% 51%	2118
September	1st to 10th	Night	8% 4 2 5% 4 3 5% 4 6% 9% 50%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 5% 2 6% 5% 3 5% 5% 5% 8% 48%	1980
	21st to end	Night	7% 4 2 4 5% 3 5% 5% 5% 7% 53%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Night	5% 4 1 3 3 2 3 3 6% 8% 62%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 5% 2 5% 4 2 3 3 5% 5% 55%	2114
	21st to end	Night	12% 5% 2 4 2 2 3 2 3 4 61%	2376
November	1st to 10th	Night	11% 5% 2 4 3 3 3 4 4 5% 55%	2220
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 5% 3 4 4 2 4 4 4 5% 54%	2334
	21st to end	Night	18% 6% 2 4 4 2 3 4 4 7% 46%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	16% 7% 2 4 4 2 3 3 4 6% 48%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 7% 3 5% 4 2 3 3 4 5% 45%	3036
	21st to end	Night	17% 7% 2 4 3 2 3 3 4 5% 52%	4532

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% 3 6% 15% 24% 12%	1708
	11th to 20th	Day	43% 2 6% 15% 19% 15%	1656
	21st to end	Day	38% 3 5% 14% 24% 14%	1870
February	1st to 10th	Day	45% 4 6% 12% 20% 14%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	45% 4 7% 16% 17% 11%	1759
	21st to end	Day	42% 5% 7% 15% 17% 14%	1496
March	1st to 10th	Day	47% 5% 9% 12% 17% 9%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	43% 5% 7% 12% 20% 13%	1980
	21st to end	Day	40% 4 9% 17% 18% 12%	2178
April	1st to 10th	Day	43% 6% 8% 18% 15% 10%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	45% 4 6% 15% 19% 11%	1956
	21st to end	Day	39% 5% 7% 20% 19% 9%	2252
May	1st to 10th	Day	42% 7% 9% 17% 16% 8%	2340
	11th to 20th	Day	42% 8% 9% 20% 18% 4	2306
	21st to end	Day	42% 8% 14% 20% 15% 1	2531
June	1st to 10th	Day	28% 9% 15% 26% 20% 2	2340
	11th to 20th	Day	29% 9% 14% 26% 18% 4	2340
	21st to end	Day	38% 11% 14% 23% 12% 2	2340
July	1st to 10th	Day	41% 9% 15% 23% 10% 2	2276
	11th to 20th	Day	29% 9% 21% 24% 16% 1	2271
	21st to end	Day	25% 10% 20% 33% 11% 1	2405
August	1st to 10th	Day	21% 10% 17% 34% 17% 1	2314
	11th to 20th	Day	29% 10% 19% 28% 12% 3	2181
	21st to end	Day	34% 10% 19% 24% 11% 2	2237
September	1st to 10th	Day	38% 9% 12% 20% 15% 7%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	42% 9% 11% 16% 17% 5%	1980
	21st to end	Day	31% 8% 11% 22% 16% 12%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Day	27% 7% 12% 22% 21% 11%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	34% 5% 9% 15% 20% 16%	1825
	21st to end	Day	30% 4 6% 16% 24% 19%	1980
November	1st to 10th	Day	38% 6% 9% 19% 20% 10%	1858
	11th to 20th	Day	35% 5% 10% 17% 20% 14%	1843
	21st to end	Day	43% 4 7% 15% 19% 12%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	42% 5% 8% 18% 19% 8%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	43% 5% 7% 10% 22% 13%	2159
	21st to end	Day	38% 4 6% 17% 24% 13%	3135
January	1st to 10th	Night	36% 3 7% 16% 22% 15%	2458
	11th to 20th	Night	38% 3 6% 17% 21% 15%	2399
	21st to end	Night	40% 3 4 15% 19% 18%	2502
February	1st to 10th	Night	42% 4 6% 14% 18% 16%	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	40% 3 8% 16% 19% 14%	2098
	21st to end	Night	44% 4 6% 16% 16% 15%	1758
March	1st to 10th	Night	41% 5% 11% 15% 17% 10%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	44% 5% 9% 11% 18% 13%	1980
	21st to end	Night	36% 5% 11% 17% 19% 13%	2178
April	1st to 10th	Night	37% 6% 11% 19% 17% 11%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	40% 4 10% 15% 16% 15%	1953
	21st to end	Night	38% 5% 9% 20% 17% 9%	1701
May	1st to 10th	Night	40% 6% 11% 19% 16% 9%	1620
	11th to 20th	Night	35% 7% 11% 25% 17% 4	1594
	21st to end	Night	34% 7% 18% 28% 13% 1	1746
June	1st to 10th	Night	21% 7% 19% 29% 22% 2	1620
	11th to 20th	Night	20% 8% 16% 33% 19% 4	1620
	21st to end	Night	30% 9% 17% 27% 14% 2	1620
July	1st to 10th	Night	30% 10% 20% 30% 9%	1575
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 9% 26% 32% 15% 1	1566
	21st to end	Night	17% 8% 27% 39% 8%	1673
August	1st to 10th	Night	11% 8% 27% 38% 16% 1	1601
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 12% 24% 30% 10% 2	1715
	21st to end	Night	25% 11% 24% 28% 10% 3	2118
September	1st to 10th	Night	31% 8% 18% 23% 14% 6%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	33% 9% 15% 23% 15% 5%	1980
	21st to end	Night	30% 6% 16% 20% 17% 11%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Night	20% 5% 13% 28% 22% 12%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	31% 4 10% 18% 20% 17%	2114
	21st to end	Night	29% 4 6% 17% 22% 22%	2376
November	1st to 10th	Night	32% 6% 10% 19% 21% 13%	2220
	11th to 20th	Night	33% 5% 11% 18% 19% 14%	2334
	21st to end	Night	39% 4 8% 17% 18% 14%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	39% 4 7% 21% 18% 11%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	42% 4 6% 12% 19% 16%	3037
	21st to end	Night	36% 4 6% 14% 28% 12%	4532

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	21% 10% 34% 26% 8% 1	270
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 11% 26% 26% 11% 2	252
	21st to end	Day	20% 12% 34% 24% 9%	264
February	1st to 10th	Day	33% 11% 28% 18% 11% 1	240
	11th to 20th	Day	27% 13% 33% 19% 7% 1	240
	21st to end	Day	26% 13% 39% 20% 3	198
March	1st to 10th	Day	21% 12% 35% 24% 7% 1	240
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 15% 37% 23% 8% 1	240
	21st to end	Day	18% 11% 35% 27% 8% 1	264
April	1st to 10th	Day	23% 10% 37% 24% 7%	240
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 13% 30% 25% 11% 1	234
	21st to end	Day	20% 8% 35% 25% 10% 1	512
May	1st to 10th	Day	17% 9% 32% 30% 11%	603
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 7% 24% 33% 19% 2	625
	21st to end	Day	12% 5% 21% 38% 21% 2	679
June	1st to 10th	Day	7% 1 9% 40% 34% 9%	630
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 2 12% 40% 33% 6%	630
	21st to end	Day	7% 1 9% 34% 35% 14%	630
July	1st to 10th	Day	8% 2 6% 30% 40% 15%	621
	11th to 20th	Day	4 1 5% 24% 50% 17%	618
	21st to end	Day	4 1 3 25% 49% 18%	684
August	1st to 10th	Day	3 1 3 23% 50% 20%	626
	11th to 20th	Day	4 1 3 24% 45% 23%	495
	21st to end	Day	6% 2 5% 17% 31% 38%	356
September	1st to 10th	Day	9% 3 16% 44% 29%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 3 21% 44% 25%	270
	21st to end	Day	11% 3 6% 18% 36% 25%	270
October	1st to 10th	Day	8% 9% 27% 40% 15%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 2 16% 31% 27% 11%	270
	21st to end	Day	17% 10% 21% 26% 19% 7%	297
November	1st to 10th	Day	17% 5% 16% 36% 20% 6%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 5% 22% 30% 20% 3	270
	21st to end	Day	25% 12% 29% 19% 13% 3	270
December	1st to 10th	Day	17% 8% 29% 29% 11% 6%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 12% 26% 26% 11% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	21% 9% 34% 24% 11% 2	297
January	1st to 10th	Night	21% 8% 30% 32% 8% 1	950
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 10% 29% 30% 10%	923
	21st to end	Night	22% 8% 30% 33% 7%	918
February	1st to 10th	Night	25% 9% 31% 29% 6%	720
	11th to 20th	Night	25% 9% 35% 27% 4	704
	21st to end	Night	26% 12% 39% 21% 3	574
March	1st to 10th	Night	21% 11% 37% 27% 4	540
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 8% 36% 28% 5%	540
	21st to end	Night	18% 9% 42% 27% 4 1	594
April	1st to 10th	Night	16% 8% 46% 27% 3	540
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 10% 38% 29% 6%	533
	21st to end	Night	16% 9% 41% 25% 8%	540
May	1st to 10th	Night	17% 6% 41% 30% 5%	540
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 4 34% 37% 11%	531
	21st to end	Night	11% 2 32% 40% 14%	584
June	1st to 10th	Night	5% 1 19% 51% 23% 1	540
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 27% 50% 17% 1	540
	21st to end	Night	6% 2 14% 46% 29% 4	540
July	1st to 10th	Night	6% 2 10% 47% 31% 4	525
	11th to 20th	Night	4 1 9% 49% 35% 3	522
	21st to end	Night	4 1 7% 51% 35% 3	591
August	1st to 10th	Night	1 6% 54% 34% 4	537
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 1 5% 49% 36% 5%	534
	21st to end	Night	6% 1 5% 38% 44% 6%	594
September	1st to 10th	Night	9% 1 5% 37% 40% 7%	540
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 2 4 37% 42% 4	540
	21st to end	Night	9% 1 12% 34% 39% 4	540
October	1st to 10th	Night	5% 2 12% 47% 29% 5%	540
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 3 18% 43% 19% 2	674
	21st to end	Night	13% 7% 26% 33% 19% 2	792
November	1st to 10th	Night	14% 5% 19% 40% 22% 1	740
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 6% 24% 38% 17% 1	814
	21st to end	Night	20% 8% 28% 31% 13% 1	950
December	1st to 10th	Night	20% 7% 24% 37% 11% 1	950
	11th to 20th	Night	25% 9% 27% 31% 8%	950
	21st to end	Night	20% 8% 28% 36% 8%	1045

Page generated at 2024-01-12 06:31:50. Version ac07

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