The Clear Nights Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the The Clear Nights Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-11-03.

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	13% 6% 2 6% 5% 4 5% 4 6% 8% 42%	100984
	Night	13% 6% 2 6% 4 4 4 4 6% 8% 44%	97960
Transparency	Day	39% 8% 11% 20% 18% 5%	100796
	Night	38% 7% 11% 19% 19% 7%	97818
Seeing	Day	15% 10% 22% 24% 20% 10%	14947
	Night	15% 9% 22% 29% 22% 4	24950

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% 7% 2 5% 4 3 4 4 6% 6% 41%	2836
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 6% 2 4 3 3 3 3 5% 7% 54%	2840
	21st to end	Day	24% 9% 3 5% 3 3 2 2 4 5% 40%	3251
February	1st to 10th	Day	16% 7% 2 7% 5% 4 5% 3 5% 7% 39%	1900
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 8% 1 5% 4 3 4 3 4 5% 43%	1848
	21st to end	Day	18% 7% 3 7% 5% 4 4 3 5% 4 41%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	23% 10% 3 8% 4 3 3 3 5% 5% 35%	3263
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 5% 2 5% 4 4 4 4 6% 8% 47%	3480
	21st to end	Day	18% 6% 2 6% 5% 3 4 4 5% 6% 42%	3815
April	1st to 10th	Day	11% 6% 2 5% 5% 4 3 4 5% 6% 48%	2099
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 5% 1 6% 4 3 4 4 6% 7% 49%	2254
	21st to end	Day	8% 5% 2 5% 4 4 5% 3 5% 7% 52%	2438
May	1st to 10th	Day	8% 6% 3 7% 4 5% 4 4 6% 9% 45%	4082
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 7% 3 6% 4 4 5% 4 6% 8% 36%	4081
	21st to end	Day	8% 4 2 6% 4 4 5% 4 7% 10% 46%	4476
June	1st to 10th	Day	10% 6% 2 8% 6% 6% 7% 6% 8% 9% 33%	2470
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 4 2 5% 5% 6% 7% 5% 8% 11% 43%	2470
	21st to end	Day	6% 5% 2 7% 5% 6% 8% 6% 7% 10% 39%	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	12% 6% 3 9% 7% 7% 7% 7% 9% 11% 23%	4120
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 5% 3 7% 7% 6% 7% 6% 9% 12% 31%	4120
	21st to end	Day	9% 8% 3 10% 7% 8% 8% 6% 10% 11% 20%	4466
August	1st to 10th	Day	10% 5% 2 7% 5% 6% 7% 6% 9% 12% 31%	4104
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 4 2 5% 5% 5% 5% 4 7% 8% 47%	3799
	21st to end	Day	8% 4 2 5% 4 4 5% 4 6% 8% 49%	4148
September	1st to 10th	Day	12% 6% 3 6% 6% 5% 6% 4 7% 8% 37%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 6% 2 6% 4 5% 5% 5% 7% 7% 39%	2090
	21st to end	Day	14% 6% 2 5% 4 3 4 3 5% 5% 48%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	12% 5% 1 4 3 3 3 3 4 7% 55%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 4 1 3 3 2 3 2 5% 6% 57%	1974
	21st to end	Day	11% 4 1 5% 3 4 3 3 4 5% 56%	2090
November	1st to 10th	Day	13% 4 2 4 4 3 4 3 4 5% 55%	1753
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 5% 2 4 4 3 4 3 4 5% 53%	1710
	21st to end	Day	13% 5% 2 5% 5% 4 4 3 5% 7% 46%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	17% 7% 3 7% 5% 4 4 3 5% 6% 39%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 7% 2 5% 4 4 3 3 4 5% 45%	2153
	21st to end	Day	21% 8% 2 5% 3 3 4 3 5% 6% 39%	3124
January	1st to 10th	Night	18% 5% 2 6% 4 5% 4 3 5% 6% 42%	4109
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 6% 2 6% 4 4 4 4 5% 7% 48%	4120
	21st to end	Night	22% 10% 3 6% 4 3 3 2 3 4 40%	4403
February	1st to 10th	Night	14% 7% 3 6% 6% 4 4 3 5% 6% 43%	2280
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 7% 3 6% 4 3 3 3 4 6% 44%	2218
	21st to end	Night	17% 7% 2 7% 3 5% 4 3 4 6% 43%	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	23% 9% 3 6% 4 3 3 3 4 5% 37%	3588
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 5% 2 4 3 3 4 4 6% 8% 50%	3480
	21st to end	Night	18% 6% 2 6% 4 4 4 4 5% 6% 43%	3817
April	1st to 10th	Night	10% 5% 2 5% 4 4 5% 4 6% 7% 49%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 5% 2 4 4 3 3 4 5% 7% 50%	1881
	21st to end	Night	6% 5% 2 5% 3 4 3 3 6% 8% 54%	1739
May	1st to 10th	Night	7% 6% 2 5% 5% 6% 6% 4 7% 11% 42%	2813
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 5% 2 6% 5% 4 5% 4 6% 8% 41%	2812
	21st to end	Night	7% 3 1 4 4 4 4 4 7% 12% 50%	3079
June	1st to 10th	Night	6% 6% 3 7% 6% 5% 5% 5% 8% 11% 37%	1710
	11th to 20th	Night	4 5% 2 6% 5% 5% 5% 4 8% 12% 46%	1710
	21st to end	Night	5% 5% 2 6% 5% 5% 5% 6% 9% 11% 40%	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	12% 7% 3 9% 6% 6% 5% 5% 9% 10% 28%	2840
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 5% 2 7% 6% 6% 7% 7% 11% 14% 30%	2840
	21st to end	Night	9% 8% 3 9% 6% 7% 7% 6% 9% 11% 23%	3087
August	1st to 10th	Night	8% 6% 2 7% 6% 7% 7% 6% 9% 12% 30%	2825
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 4 2 5% 5% 6% 4 4 8% 10% 47%	3026
	21st to end	Night	7% 5% 2 4 4 4 4 4 7% 8% 52%	3476
September	1st to 10th	Night	9% 6% 3 6% 5% 5% 6% 5% 7% 10% 39%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 5% 3 7% 4 4 5% 4 5% 6% 44%	2090
	21st to end	Night	12% 5% 2 5% 5% 4 4 4 6% 7% 46%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	12% 4 2 5% 3 4 3 3 5% 6% 53%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 4 1 4 3 3 3 3 4 5% 59%	2204
	21st to end	Night	11% 4 1 4 4 4 3 3 4 6% 57%	2508
November	1st to 10th	Night	12% 5% 2 4 3 3 3 3 5% 5% 56%	2367
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 6% 2 4 4 3 3 3 4 5% 54%	2470
	21st to end	Night	14% 5% 2 6% 4 3 4 2 5% 6% 49%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	16% 7% 2 5% 4 3 5% 3 5% 7% 44%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 6% 2 5% 3 3 3 2 4 6% 49%	3042
	21st to end	Night	18% 8% 4 7% 5% 4 5% 3 5% 6% 34%	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	41% 4 8% 17% 22% 7%	2837
	11th to 20th	Day	31% 3 5% 24% 26% 10%	2840
	21st to end	Day	47% 2 5% 15% 22% 9%	3251
February	1st to 10th	Day	45% 5% 8% 16% 20% 6%	1900
	11th to 20th	Day	44% 4 6% 18% 22% 7%	1858
	21st to end	Day	46% 5% 7% 14% 20% 8%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	50% 5% 8% 13% 16% 7%	3263
	11th to 20th	Day	34% 6% 9% 17% 24% 10%	3480
	21st to end	Day	43% 5% 7% 20% 17% 8%	3815
April	1st to 10th	Day	37% 5% 8% 21% 20% 8%	2099
	11th to 20th	Day	34% 4 9% 20% 23% 10%	2254
	21st to end	Day	30% 7% 9% 24% 25% 4	2438
May	1st to 10th	Day	36% 7% 12% 23% 20% 3	4120
	11th to 20th	Day	45% 8% 11% 23% 13% 1	4085
	21st to end	Day	29% 9% 15% 24% 21% 2	4489
June	1st to 10th	Day	42% 12% 14% 19% 11% 2	2470
	11th to 20th	Day	32% 10% 18% 24% 15% 1	2470
	21st to end	Day	36% 12% 16% 19% 13% 3	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	48% 14% 18% 14% 4 1	4055
	11th to 20th	Day	39% 15% 19% 22% 5% 1	4051
	21st to end	Day	52% 17% 14% 13% 5%	4324
August	1st to 10th	Day	38% 12% 17% 28% 5%	4091
	11th to 20th	Day	32% 9% 14% 30% 14% 2	3837
	21st to end	Day	31% 8% 15% 26% 17% 3	4148
September	1st to 10th	Day	42% 9% 14% 15% 15% 4	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	40% 9% 11% 16% 20% 3	2090
	21st to end	Day	37% 5% 10% 21% 20% 6%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	30% 5% 10% 18% 28% 8%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	28% 4 8% 24% 26% 10%	1974
	21st to end	Day	31% 4 6% 14% 32% 12%	2090
November	1st to 10th	Day	32% 4 8% 14% 28% 13%	1753
	11th to 20th	Day	33% 3 7% 19% 26% 12%	1710
	21st to end	Day	37% 5% 8% 17% 25% 7%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	45% 6% 7% 17% 18% 6%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	43% 3 6% 15% 24% 8%	2150
	21st to end	Day	44% 4 9% 17% 22% 4	3124
January	1st to 10th	Night	42% 4 6% 16% 24% 8%	4109
	11th to 20th	Night	34% 4 8% 23% 23% 8%	4120
	21st to end	Night	49% 3 5% 11% 24% 7%	4403
February	1st to 10th	Night	42% 4 7% 18% 19% 10%	2280
	11th to 20th	Night	43% 4 5% 17% 22% 10%	2219
	21st to end	Night	42% 5% 8% 16% 18% 12%	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	49% 5% 9% 15% 14% 8%	3588
	11th to 20th	Night	31% 5% 10% 14% 28% 12%	3480
	21st to end	Night	42% 4 8% 17% 19% 10%	3817
April	1st to 10th	Night	33% 7% 9% 20% 21% 10%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	32% 5% 7% 21% 24% 11%	1881
	21st to end	Night	28% 5% 13% 24% 24% 7%	1739
May	1st to 10th	Night	32% 10% 14% 23% 17% 4	2840
	11th to 20th	Night	41% 6% 13% 24% 14% 2	2813
	21st to end	Night	24% 8% 15% 27% 22% 4	3087
June	1st to 10th	Night	37% 10% 17% 21% 14% 1	1710
	11th to 20th	Night	29% 10% 17% 29% 12% 2	1710
	21st to end	Night	33% 10% 22% 19% 14% 3	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	47% 13% 20% 14% 4 2	2795
	11th to 20th	Night	36% 16% 24% 16% 6% 1	2786
	21st to end	Night	50% 16% 17% 12% 4 1	2988
August	1st to 10th	Night	41% 12% 17% 25% 5%	2814
	11th to 20th	Night	30% 9% 17% 27% 15% 2	3054
	21st to end	Night	27% 9% 15% 26% 21% 2	3476
September	1st to 10th	Night	37% 10% 16% 16% 16% 4	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	40% 9% 10% 19% 18% 4	2090
	21st to end	Night	36% 8% 11% 17% 20% 8%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	32% 5% 10% 19% 26% 10%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	28% 4 7% 19% 29% 13%	2204
	21st to end	Night	30% 3 6% 17% 29% 15%	2508
November	1st to 10th	Night	31% 4 8% 15% 28% 14%	2367
	11th to 20th	Night	33% 4 5% 17% 26% 14%	2470
	21st to end	Night	37% 5% 6% 18% 25% 9%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	39% 5% 9% 19% 21% 7%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	38% 3 7% 15% 29% 7%	3044
	21st to end	Night	49% 4 8% 18% 18% 3	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	23% 24% 38% 14% 1	270
	11th to 20th	Day	23% 23% 30% 18% 6% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	23% 26% 36% 10% 4 1	297
February	1st to 10th	Day	22% 23% 35% 16% 4	270
	11th to 20th	Day	36% 15% 33% 14% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	26% 21% 38% 14%	225
March	1st to 10th	Day	21% 19% 31% 22% 6% 1	348
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 14% 34% 22% 8%	460
	21st to end	Day	18% 19% 34% 22% 7% 1	506
April	1st to 10th	Day	17% 17% 31% 24% 10% 1	460
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 18% 27% 25% 14% 2	452
	21st to end	Day	13% 12% 25% 28% 18% 3	460
May	1st to 10th	Day	11% 12% 29% 28% 14% 7%	463
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 7% 24% 24% 22% 10%	487
	21st to end	Day	13% 4 18% 28% 25% 12%	529
June	1st to 10th	Day	11% 2 17% 26% 31% 12%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 3 17% 26% 24% 23%	490
	21st to end	Day	8% 3 15% 31% 24% 19%	490
July	1st to 10th	Day	8% 2 11% 21% 34% 24%	485
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 1 8% 21% 35% 27%	484
	21st to end	Day	5% 3 9% 22% 39% 22%	532
August	1st to 10th	Day	10% 3 10% 28% 27% 21%	486
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 2 9% 23% 36% 21%	479
	21st to end	Day	15% 2 7% 27% 32% 17%	539
September	1st to 10th	Day	12% 3 12% 25% 31% 17%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 2 12% 27% 29% 11%	490
	21st to end	Day	13% 3 18% 29% 27% 10%	490
October	1st to 10th	Day	16% 6% 20% 28% 22% 8%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 9% 23% 28% 20% 7%	490
	21st to end	Day	14% 10% 23% 29% 19% 5%	539
November	1st to 10th	Day	20% 7% 25% 28% 15% 4	339
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 17% 39% 20% 6% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	14% 15% 34% 24% 11% 2	270
December	1st to 10th	Day	25% 17% 29% 20% 8%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	27% 19% 28% 20% 6%	270
	21st to end	Day	28% 17% 32% 17% 5% 1	297
January	1st to 10th	Night	23% 18% 30% 23% 6% 1	760
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 17% 29% 28% 8%	760
	21st to end	Night	22% 15% 35% 24% 4	836
February	1st to 10th	Night	19% 14% 28% 33% 6%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	23% 15% 32% 27% 2	743
	21st to end	Night	20% 16% 35% 26% 3	628
March	1st to 10th	Night	16% 14% 31% 32% 7%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 12% 31% 27% 10%	760
	21st to end	Night	17% 14% 30% 29% 11%	836
April	1st to 10th	Night	14% 14% 30% 29% 12%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 12% 25% 30% 18% 1	569
	21st to end	Night	8% 10% 23% 35% 22% 1	570
May	1st to 10th	Night	8% 8% 26% 36% 21% 2	570
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 4 21% 33% 26% 5%	561
	21st to end	Night	12% 1 12% 33% 35% 7%	617
June	1st to 10th	Night	8% 2 10% 37% 38% 5%	570
	11th to 20th	Night	4 2 15% 29% 37% 13%	570
	21st to end	Night	7% 2 9% 34% 40% 9%	570
July	1st to 10th	Night	9% 2 8% 24% 43% 15%	555
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 1 4 24% 49% 15%	552
	21st to end	Night	6% 1 7% 27% 47% 12%	624
August	1st to 10th	Night	8% 1 6% 27% 45% 13%	567
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 2 5% 27% 47% 9%	564
	21st to end	Night	15% 2 9% 25% 38% 11%	627
September	1st to 10th	Night	9% 2 12% 26% 40% 11%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 2 13% 28% 39% 4	760
	21st to end	Night	14% 2 14% 31% 35% 3	760
October	1st to 10th	Night	15% 3 17% 33% 26% 7%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 5% 22% 33% 24% 3	760
	21st to end	Night	13% 8% 21% 34% 22% 2	836
November	1st to 10th	Night	14% 7% 22% 33% 21% 1	749
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 13% 26% 31% 13% 2	760
	21st to end	Night	15% 13% 26% 32% 13% 1	760
December	1st to 10th	Night	19% 13% 28% 29% 11% 1	760
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 10% 29% 30% 9% 1	760
	21st to end	Night	26% 14% 25% 28% 7%	836

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