Hampden-Sydney College Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Hampden-Sydney College Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-12-09.

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	14% 6% 2 6% 4 4 4 4 6% 8% 43%	101174
	Night	14% 6% 2 6% 4 4 4 4 5% 7% 44%	98560
Transparency	Day	38% 6% 12% 23% 17% 4	104824
	Night	39% 5% 10% 22% 19% 5%	103049
Seeing	Day	19% 11% 27% 25% 14% 5%	15226
	Night	17% 10% 27% 30% 14% 2	25119

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% 5% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 4 5% 50%	2836
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 7% 2 5% 3 3 4 4 5% 6% 47%	2840
	21st to end	Day	20% 9% 2 6% 4 3 3 3 4 4 40%	3124
February	1st to 10th	Day	13% 7% 2 6% 5% 4 5% 3 7% 7% 42%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 6% 2 5% 4 3 3 3 4 6% 44%	1672
	21st to end	Day	19% 7% 2 6% 5% 5% 4 3 5% 6% 38%	1654
March	1st to 10th	Day	20% 7% 2 6% 4 4 4 4 4 7% 37%	3435
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 5% 1 5% 3 3 5% 4 5% 6% 52%	3480
	21st to end	Day	20% 6% 2 6% 4 4 5% 4 4 6% 39%	3815
April	1st to 10th	Day	10% 6% 2 5% 3 4 3 3 6% 8% 51%	2241
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 5% 2 6% 4 4 4 3 5% 7% 49%	2254
	21st to end	Day	17% 6% 1 6% 4 4 4 4 5% 6% 44%	2280
May	1st to 10th	Day	15% 7% 2 7% 6% 5% 5% 5% 6% 9% 33%	4075
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 7% 2 7% 4 4 4 4 6% 8% 34%	4081
	21st to end	Day	9% 4 2 4 4 4 5% 5% 7% 10% 47%	4589
June	1st to 10th	Day	10% 4 1 5% 5% 4 4 4 7% 10% 44%	2660
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 4 2 6% 5% 6% 5% 4 7% 10% 43%	2660
	21st to end	Day	8% 5% 2 6% 5% 5% 5% 5% 8% 10% 43%	2640
July	1st to 10th	Day	7% 4 2 5% 5% 5% 6% 5% 9% 12% 40%	4120
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 5% 2 6% 5% 5% 5% 5% 9% 13% 35%	4120
	21st to end	Day	11% 7% 3 7% 6% 5% 6% 6% 8% 9% 31%	4466
August	1st to 10th	Day	15% 7% 3 7% 6% 5% 6% 4 7% 11% 30%	4104
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 5% 2 7% 5% 6% 6% 5% 7% 10% 40%	3926
	21st to end	Day	8% 5% 2 5% 3 3 4 3 6% 10% 51%	4180
September	1st to 10th	Day	11% 5% 2 5% 5% 4 4 3 5% 6% 48%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 6% 2 5% 5% 4 4 4 5% 7% 45%	2200
	21st to end	Day	21% 7% 2 6% 4 3 4 4 5% 5% 38%	2024
October	1st to 10th	Day	16% 5% 2 5% 3 3 3 2 4 6% 50%	1900
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 3 1 5% 4 3 3 2 4 5% 55%	1900
	21st to end	Day	12% 5% 2 5% 3 3 4 2 4 5% 55%	2090
November	1st to 10th	Day	13% 4 2 5% 3 3 3 3 4 5% 55%	1957
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 6% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 49%	1858
	21st to end	Day	14% 4 2 4 3 3 4 3 4 7% 52%	1600
December	1st to 10th	Day	15% 8% 2 6% 3 4 5% 5% 6% 6% 41%	1584
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 5% 2 4 3 2 3 2 4 5% 55%	1910
	21st to end	Day	17% 6% 2 5% 3 4 5% 4 5% 6% 42%	2909
January	1st to 10th	Night	13% 7% 2 5% 4 4 3 4 4 5% 48%	4109
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 7% 3 5% 3 3 3 3 4 5% 48%	4120
	21st to end	Night	21% 7% 2 6% 4 3 3 3 4 5% 43%	4532
February	1st to 10th	Night	15% 7% 1 5% 3 3 5% 4 5% 6% 45%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 8% 2 5% 3 3 4 2 5% 6% 43%	2392
	21st to end	Night	16% 7% 2 5% 4 3 3 3 5% 6% 45%	1798
March	1st to 10th	Night	21% 6% 3 7% 5% 4 4 3 4 6% 36%	3418
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 4 2 5% 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 52%	3480
	21st to end	Night	16% 6% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 4 6% 48%	3817
April	1st to 10th	Night	14% 6% 2 6% 4 5% 3 4 4 7% 45%	1938
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 6% 1 4 3 3 4 3 6% 8% 49%	1875
	21st to end	Night	15% 5% 2 4 4 4 4 4 5% 7% 46%	1900
May	1st to 10th	Night	16% 8% 3 8% 4 4 4 4 5% 8% 36%	2848
	11th to 20th	Night	24% 7% 2 5% 4 4 3 3 5% 5% 37%	2812
	21st to end	Night	10% 4 2 6% 3 4 5% 4 7% 11% 45%	2960
June	1st to 10th	Night	10% 4 2 5% 4 5% 5% 4 7% 10% 43%	1520
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 5% 2 5% 5% 4 5% 4 6% 11% 43%	1520
	21st to end	Night	9% 5% 3 5% 4 4 5% 4 6% 10% 45%	1531
July	1st to 10th	Night	6% 4 2 8% 5% 5% 6% 6% 8% 10% 39%	2840
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 7% 2 8% 5% 6% 6% 5% 8% 10% 35%	2840
	21st to end	Night	12% 9% 3 9% 6% 6% 6% 5% 7% 8% 29%	3087
August	1st to 10th	Night	17% 7% 3 7% 5% 5% 5% 4 8% 9% 30%	2825
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 5% 3 7% 5% 6% 5% 5% 7% 9% 40%	2871
	21st to end	Night	9% 6% 2 6% 4 5% 5% 4 6% 10% 43%	3476
September	1st to 10th	Night	13% 6% 2 6% 4 4 4 4 5% 7% 45%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 6% 2 6% 3 4 4 3 6% 6% 46%	1976
	21st to end	Night	22% 7% 3 6% 4 4 3 3 5% 6% 37%	2156
October	1st to 10th	Night	16% 7% 2 5% 4 5% 3 3 4 6% 47%	2280
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 6% 2 5% 3 2 3 3 5% 6% 50%	2280
	21st to end	Night	13% 5% 2 4 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 54%	2508
November	1st to 10th	Night	12% 7% 3 6% 3 3 4 2 4 5% 52%	2341
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 5% 1 5% 3 3 4 3 5% 6% 51%	2534
	21st to end	Night	12% 4 2 4 4 4 4 4 5% 6% 52%	2800
December	1st to 10th	Night	16% 6% 3 6% 4 4 4 3 4 5% 44%	2779
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 6% 2 5% 4 4 3 2 3 6% 48%	3285
	21st to end	Night	16% 7% 2 5% 5% 4 4 4 6% 7% 40%	4742

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	37% 3 6% 30% 19% 5%	2837
	11th to 20th	Day	38% 4 7% 20% 25% 6%	2840
	21st to end	Day	48% 3 6% 23% 16% 3	3124
February	1st to 10th	Day	41% 4 10% 24% 16% 4	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	42% 3 6% 22% 21% 5%	1681
	21st to end	Day	48% 4 11% 14% 17% 6%	1654
March	1st to 10th	Day	47% 4 9% 20% 13% 7%	3435
	11th to 20th	Day	31% 6% 8% 22% 23% 10%	3480
	21st to end	Day	47% 4 10% 19% 16% 3	3815
April	1st to 10th	Day	31% 4 12% 24% 21% 8%	2241
	11th to 20th	Day	36% 4 10% 23% 21% 6%	2254
	21st to end	Day	40% 5% 11% 22% 16% 5%	2280
May	1st to 10th	Day	46% 8% 13% 21% 10% 2	4113
	11th to 20th	Day	47% 7% 11% 23% 11% 1	4085
	21st to end	Day	31% 7% 17% 23% 21% 2	4603
June	1st to 10th	Day	33% 8% 16% 27% 15% 1	2660
	11th to 20th	Day	35% 8% 16% 23% 16% 2	2660
	21st to end	Day	34% 9% 16% 25% 15% 2	2640
July	1st to 10th	Day	33% 10% 23% 18% 11% 5%	4055
	11th to 20th	Day	39% 7% 23% 23% 7% 1	4051
	21st to end	Day	45% 9% 13% 19% 13%	4324
August	1st to 10th	Day	47% 6% 18% 23% 6%	4091
	11th to 20th	Day	36% 7% 20% 25% 10% 1	3965
	21st to end	Day	29% 5% 18% 29% 17% 1	4180
September	1st to 10th	Day	36% 7% 13% 17% 22% 4	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	39% 5% 9% 23% 20% 3	2200
	21st to end	Day	48% 5% 9% 18% 17% 4	2024
October	1st to 10th	Day	34% 4 8% 20% 29% 6%	3160
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 2 5% 23% 30% 15%	3140
	21st to end	Day	22% 3 10% 27% 24% 13%	3428
November	1st to 10th	Day	33% 4 8% 25% 25% 6%	1957
	11th to 20th	Day	38% 3 9% 21% 21% 8%	1858
	21st to end	Day	33% 4 9% 24% 25% 5%	1600
December	1st to 10th	Day	41% 5% 10% 22% 17% 5%	1584
	11th to 20th	Day	34% 3 8% 26% 20% 8%	1906
	21st to end	Day	41% 5% 9% 27% 16% 2	2909
January	1st to 10th	Night	38% 4 7% 22% 24% 5%	4109
	11th to 20th	Night	40% 4 7% 20% 24% 5%	4120
	21st to end	Night	46% 3 6% 22% 17% 6%	4532
February	1st to 10th	Night	38% 4 11% 26% 18% 4	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	42% 4 7% 20% 20% 7%	2394
	21st to end	Night	40% 4 9% 24% 18% 6%	1798
March	1st to 10th	Night	49% 5% 7% 20% 16% 4	3418
	11th to 20th	Night	33% 5% 6% 18% 27% 12%	3480
	21st to end	Night	39% 3 9% 24% 19% 5%	3817
April	1st to 10th	Night	39% 5% 10% 18% 22% 6%	1938
	11th to 20th	Night	32% 4 10% 24% 22% 6%	1875
	21st to end	Night	38% 4 12% 23% 17% 5%	1900
May	1st to 10th	Night	46% 5% 15% 20% 11% 2	2875
	11th to 20th	Night	48% 7% 9% 23% 11% 2	2813
	21st to end	Night	32% 7% 18% 24% 17% 3	2967
June	1st to 10th	Night	35% 8% 14% 26% 16% 1	1520
	11th to 20th	Night	35% 9% 18% 21% 15% 2	1520
	21st to end	Night	34% 7% 15% 22% 18% 3	1531
July	1st to 10th	Night	37% 9% 21% 17% 13% 3	2795
	11th to 20th	Night	43% 9% 21% 19% 7% 1	2786
	21st to end	Night	50% 8% 14% 18% 9%	2988
August	1st to 10th	Night	48% 7% 18% 20% 7%	2814
	11th to 20th	Night	39% 7% 18% 25% 11% 1	2898
	21st to end	Night	36% 6% 13% 31% 12% 2	3476
September	1st to 10th	Night	38% 7% 12% 19% 17% 6%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	38% 6% 11% 21% 22% 2	1976
	21st to end	Night	48% 5% 9% 17% 16% 4	2156
October	1st to 10th	Night	41% 4 10% 18% 23% 4	3800
	11th to 20th	Night	25% 3 7% 22% 31% 13%	3779
	21st to end	Night	21% 3 5% 30% 26% 14%	4120
November	1st to 10th	Night	35% 4 9% 21% 25% 6%	2341
	11th to 20th	Night	35% 4 8% 19% 25% 9%	2534
	21st to end	Night	33% 4 8% 25% 24% 7%	2800
December	1st to 10th	Night	42% 4 6% 25% 18% 4	2779
	11th to 20th	Night	39% 4 7% 21% 22% 7%	3288
	21st to end	Night	42% 5% 9% 24% 18% 3	4742

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	29% 25% 27% 14% 5%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	29% 27% 36% 9% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	28% 21% 39% 10% 2	297
February	1st to 10th	Day	25% 24% 36% 10% 4	270
	11th to 20th	Day	38% 25% 27% 8% 2	279
	21st to end	Day	32% 19% 31% 15% 2	382
March	1st to 10th	Day	23% 20% 33% 18% 5%	460
	11th to 20th	Day	23% 22% 33% 16% 4 1	460
	21st to end	Day	25% 18% 37% 15% 4 1	506
April	1st to 10th	Day	22% 22% 30% 21% 5%	460
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 14% 34% 19% 7% 3	452
	21st to end	Day	23% 12% 36% 20% 8% 1	460
May	1st to 10th	Day	23% 14% 32% 20% 8% 2	463
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 8% 30% 25% 13% 3	487
	21st to end	Day	19% 5% 25% 29% 17% 6%	529
June	1st to 10th	Day	11% 7% 26% 32% 19% 4	490
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 6% 25% 32% 18% 8%	490
	21st to end	Day	11% 4 22% 38% 19% 6%	490
July	1st to 10th	Day	11% 4 16% 37% 24% 9%	485
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 2 15% 40% 27% 9%	484
	21st to end	Day	10% 4 22% 32% 25% 8%	532
August	1st to 10th	Day	14% 4 20% 27% 26% 9%	486
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 4 18% 31% 26% 10%	479
	21st to end	Day	11% 2 17% 29% 24% 16%	539
September	1st to 10th	Day	14% 5% 18% 27% 22% 13%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 5% 16% 31% 20% 11%	490
	21st to end	Day	29% 7% 22% 26% 12% 4	490
October	1st to 10th	Day	21% 5% 24% 26% 17% 6%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 12% 23% 28% 19% 3	490
	21st to end	Day	16% 12% 31% 27% 11% 4	539
November	1st to 10th	Day	17% 12% 30% 26% 12% 4	495
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 14% 31% 23% 10% 1	408
	21st to end	Day	22% 21% 28% 21% 6% 3	200
December	1st to 10th	Day	19% 21% 38% 15% 5% 1	196
	11th to 20th	Day	27% 16% 31% 21% 4 1	180
	21st to end	Day	26% 15% 34% 18% 6% 1	238
January	1st to 10th	Night	21% 19% 36% 21% 3	760
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 20% 32% 25% 3	760
	21st to end	Night	21% 17% 38% 23% 2	836
February	1st to 10th	Night	19% 17% 36% 23% 4	760
	11th to 20th	Night	26% 19% 38% 16% 1	743
	21st to end	Night	24% 14% 37% 22% 3	628
March	1st to 10th	Night	19% 19% 34% 26% 3	760
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 16% 35% 20% 6% 1	760
	21st to end	Night	19% 14% 40% 23% 4	836
April	1st to 10th	Night	18% 19% 36% 22% 5%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 14% 35% 29% 8%	751
	21st to end	Night	17% 9% 38% 31% 6%	760
May	1st to 10th	Night	17% 10% 35% 28% 9% 1	592
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 7% 24% 34% 14% 1	561
	21st to end	Night	15% 2 19% 39% 23% 2	549
June	1st to 10th	Night	11% 2 19% 43% 25% 1	380
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 4 16% 42% 23% 3	380
	21st to end	Night	10% 2 18% 46% 21% 2	391
July	1st to 10th	Night	11% 2 12% 39% 32% 4	555
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 2 11% 42% 35% 5%	552
	21st to end	Night	9% 2 18% 41% 29% 2	624
August	1st to 10th	Night	13% 2 12% 40% 29% 4	567
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 3 10% 40% 29% 3	611
	21st to end	Night	11% 2 14% 35% 32% 6%	836
September	1st to 10th	Night	15% 3 13% 33% 30% 6%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 2 15% 32% 29% 4	760
	21st to end	Night	26% 4 17% 32% 19% 2	760
October	1st to 10th	Night	18% 5% 19% 29% 24% 6%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 8% 28% 30% 17% 1	760
	21st to end	Night	15% 10% 26% 34% 13% 2	836
November	1st to 10th	Night	15% 8% 28% 34% 13% 2	780
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 12% 31% 30% 11%	800
	21st to end	Night	14% 13% 32% 29% 10% 1	800
December	1st to 10th	Night	21% 13% 35% 25% 6% 1	795
	11th to 20th	Night	20% 10% 34% 30% 5%	760
	21st to end	Night	22% 15% 29% 31% 3	836

Page generated at 2024-12-06 03:54:51. Version ac07

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