Montgomery Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Montgomery Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-10-20.

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	10% 5% 2 5% 3 3 4 3 5% 7% 53%	101008
	Night	10% 4 2 4 3 3 3 3 5% 7% 58%	97781
Transparency	Day	30% 6% 10% 25% 23% 7%	100822
	Night	27% 5% 9% 25% 25% 9%	97638
Seeing	Day	11% 7% 24% 29% 21% 6%	15231
	Night	11% 8% 30% 35% 15% 1	25063

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	10% 7% 2 5% 3 2 3 3 5% 6% 54%	2847
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 5% 1 3 2 2 2 2 4 6% 64%	2850
	21st to end	Day	17% 9% 3 5% 3 3 3 2 3 4 48%	3135
February	1st to 10th	Day	13% 8% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 4 6% 49%	1814
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 6% 2 5% 3 4 3 2 4 7% 51%	1849
	21st to end	Day	17% 9% 2 5% 3 2 2 2 3 4 51%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	14% 6% 2 4 3 3 4 3 3 5% 53%	3406
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 6% 2 6% 4 4 4 3 4 7% 49%	3480
	21st to end	Day	14% 9% 2 7% 5% 4 4 3 5% 6% 41%	3814
April	1st to 10th	Day	11% 5% 1 5% 3 3 3 3 4 7% 54%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 5% 2 6% 4 4 4 3 5% 5% 50%	2189
	21st to end	Day	12% 6% 2 5% 4 3 4 4 5% 6% 48%	2470
May	1st to 10th	Day	18% 7% 2 5% 4 3 3 3 5% 5% 43%	4082
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 6% 2 5% 4 3 4 3 4 7% 48%	4082
	21st to end	Day	15% 6% 3 6% 5% 4 5% 4 5% 7% 41%	4477
June	1st to 10th	Day	6% 5% 2 6% 4 4 5% 4 6% 9% 49%	2470
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 4 2 4 4 4 5% 4 5% 10% 53%	2470
	21st to end	Day	5% 3 1 4 3 3 4 4 5% 8% 60%	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	6% 5% 2 4 4 4 5% 4 7% 9% 50%	4120
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 1 4 4 4 4 4 6% 9% 59%	4120
	21st to end	Day	4 3 1 5% 4 4 4 4 6% 8% 56%	4465
August	1st to 10th	Day	2 3 1 4 3 4 4 3 5% 8% 62%	4104
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 2 2 4 3 3 4 4 7% 10% 56%	4041
	21st to end	Day	3 2 1 4 4 4 5% 4 6% 9% 59%	4138
September	1st to 10th	Day	9% 3 1 5% 3 4 3 3 5% 6% 56%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 5% 2 7% 4 5% 4 4 4 6% 48%	2090
	21st to end	Day	8% 3 1 4 3 3 4 3 4 7% 60%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	7% 4 1 4 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 61%	2054
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 4 1 3 3 2 2 2 3 5% 65%	1890
	21st to end	Day	14% 5% 2 4 2 2 2 2 3 5% 59%	1980
November	1st to 10th	Day	10% 6% 1 4 2 2 3 3 4 6% 59%	1835
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 4 1 4 3 2 2 2 3 5% 67%	1710
	21st to end	Day	14% 4 2 4 3 2 3 2 4 5% 57%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	11% 5% 2 6% 4 3 4 2 5% 7% 53%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 7% 2 6% 4 4 4 2 3 5% 50%	2161
	21st to end	Day	17% 7% 1 5% 3 3 4 3 4 6% 46%	3135
January	1st to 10th	Night	12% 7% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 52%	4108
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 5% 1 3 2 2 2 2 3 6% 65%	4120
	21st to end	Night	19% 7% 3 5% 3 2 3 2 3 4 50%	4532
February	1st to 10th	Night	13% 6% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 4 5% 52%	2380
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 6% 2 5% 3 2 4 3 4 7% 51%	2218
	21st to end	Night	12% 7% 3 4 3 3 2 3 3 5% 55%	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	11% 7% 2 6% 4 3 3 3 4 6% 50%	3449
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 5% 2 4 3 2 2 2 4 7% 58%	3480
	21st to end	Night	12% 6% 2 5% 4 3 4 3 5% 6% 50%	3817
April	1st to 10th	Night	10% 5% 1 5% 3 3 4 2 6% 8% 54%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 4 1 5% 4 3 4 2 4 6% 55%	1932
	21st to end	Night	12% 4 2 4 4 3 3 3 5% 8% 53%	1710
May	1st to 10th	Night	18% 7% 2 5% 3 3 4 2 4 5% 45%	2823
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 5% 2 5% 4 4 4 3 5% 6% 49%	2823
	21st to end	Night	10% 5% 2 5% 3 4 4 3 5% 8% 51%	3090
June	1st to 10th	Night	5% 2 1 3 3 2 4 4 6% 12% 58%	1710
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 3 1 3 3 3 4 3 6% 10% 60%	1710
	21st to end	Night	3 2 1 2 3 2 3 3 5% 10% 65%	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	5% 3 2 5% 4 3 4 4 6% 9% 56%	2850
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 2 1 2 3 2 6% 10% 69%	2850
	21st to end	Night	3 3 1 4 3 3 3 2 5% 8% 64%	3098
August	1st to 10th	Night	1 2 1 2 2 3 3 3 5% 8% 70%	2836
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 1 3 3 3 3 3 6% 9% 66%	2798
	21st to end	Night	2 2 1 3 2 2 3 3 6% 9% 67%	3520
September	1st to 10th	Night	7% 4 2 4 3 3 4 3 5% 6% 60%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 4 2 6% 4 4 4 3 5% 6% 53%	2090
	21st to end	Night	7% 3 1 3 2 2 3 3 6% 8% 62%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	7% 3 1 3 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 64%	2105
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 3 2 4 3 2 3 2 3 4 65%	2275
	21st to end	Night	14% 4 2 3 2 2 2 2 3 4 61%	2376
November	1st to 10th	Night	9% 4 2 3 3 3 3 2 4 5% 64%	2239
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 3 1 5% 2 3 4 3 4 5% 64%	2470
	21st to end	Night	13% 5% 2 4 2 3 3 3 4 6% 55%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	11% 4 2 4 3 3 2 3 5% 6% 58%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 5% 2 5% 4 3 4 3 3 5% 54%	3036
	21st to end	Night	15% 7% 2 3 3 2 3 2 4 5% 54%	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	31% 4 9% 24% 27% 5%	2848
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 3 11% 23% 35% 5%	2850
	21st to end	Day	42% 4 4 22% 23% 6%	3135
February	1st to 10th	Day	37% 4 7% 21% 23% 7%	1814
	11th to 20th	Day	36% 4 7% 25% 21% 8%	1859
	21st to end	Day	39% 3 4 16% 27% 11%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	34% 4 7% 16% 26% 14%	3406
	11th to 20th	Day	36% 6% 10% 24% 19% 5%	3480
	21st to end	Day	42% 7% 7% 22% 17% 4	3814
April	1st to 10th	Day	31% 4 10% 25% 18% 11%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	35% 6% 9% 21% 21% 9%	2189
	21st to end	Day	35% 6% 10% 24% 20% 5%	2470
May	1st to 10th	Day	41% 6% 9% 20% 16% 8%	4120
	11th to 20th	Day	35% 8% 11% 25% 20% 1	4086
	21st to end	Day	41% 9% 11% 18% 15% 7%	4489
June	1st to 10th	Day	31% 8% 15% 28% 15% 3	2470
	11th to 20th	Day	26% 7% 13% 27% 23% 4	2470
	21st to end	Day	22% 7% 14% 26% 25% 5%	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	26% 7% 15% 35% 15% 2	4056
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 5% 11% 36% 25% 3	4051
	21st to end	Day	23% 7% 13% 32% 25% 1	4325
August	1st to 10th	Day	18% 5% 12% 24% 30% 10%	4090
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 7% 13% 34% 22% 3	4080
	21st to end	Day	19% 7% 15% 40% 17% 3	4137
September	1st to 10th	Day	28% 5% 10% 22% 23% 12%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	35% 6% 9% 20% 21% 8%	2090
	21st to end	Day	25% 4 7% 24% 29% 10%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	24% 5% 10% 20% 26% 15%	2054
	11th to 20th	Day	23% 3 7% 19% 32% 15%	1890
	21st to end	Day	30% 3 8% 22% 25% 12%	1980
November	1st to 10th	Day	27% 4 8% 22% 29% 10%	1835
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 3 8% 27% 29% 12%	1710
	21st to end	Day	31% 3 6% 21% 28% 10%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	32% 4 10% 27% 22% 5%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	38% 3 7% 17% 26% 9%	2159
	21st to end	Day	39% 4 7% 22% 24% 4	3135
January	1st to 10th	Night	32% 4 7% 21% 29% 7%	4108
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 4 13% 22% 32% 7%	4120
	21st to end	Night	39% 3 5% 18% 26% 9%	4532
February	1st to 10th	Night	35% 4 7% 21% 24% 8%	2380
	11th to 20th	Night	34% 4 7% 21% 26% 9%	2218
	21st to end	Night	34% 3 6% 18% 23% 17%	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	35% 5% 5% 17% 21% 16%	3449
	11th to 20th	Night	27% 4 9% 31% 19% 8%	3480
	21st to end	Night	34% 6% 9% 22% 25% 4	3817
April	1st to 10th	Night	29% 4 11% 20% 21% 14%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	31% 5% 9% 22% 21% 13%	1932
	21st to end	Night	30% 5% 11% 26% 22% 5%	1710
May	1st to 10th	Night	40% 7% 9% 17% 19% 8%	2850
	11th to 20th	Night	34% 7% 14% 25% 19% 1	2824
	21st to end	Night	28% 9% 14% 24% 18% 7%	3099
June	1st to 10th	Night	19% 8% 16% 34% 20% 4	1710
	11th to 20th	Night	20% 6% 15% 29% 25% 6%	1710
	21st to end	Night	16% 5% 13% 29% 30% 7%	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	24% 6% 14% 36% 17% 3	2805
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 4 10% 44% 27% 3	2796
	21st to end	Night	18% 4 13% 37% 26% 2	2999
August	1st to 10th	Night	13% 5% 8% 27% 36% 11%	2826
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 5% 12% 38% 26% 5%	2825
	21st to end	Night	14% 4 16% 41% 20% 4	3520
September	1st to 10th	Night	25% 5% 10% 21% 27% 12%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	32% 6% 9% 20% 23% 11%	2090
	21st to end	Night	20% 4 7% 24% 31% 13%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	21% 4 11% 21% 27% 16%	2105
	11th to 20th	Night	25% 4 5% 15% 31% 20%	2275
	21st to end	Night	29% 3 6% 20% 26% 16%	2376
November	1st to 10th	Night	25% 4 6% 24% 29% 13%	2239
	11th to 20th	Night	23% 4 8% 23% 29% 13%	2470
	21st to end	Night	31% 4 6% 19% 28% 11%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	28% 3 8% 26% 24% 11%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	34% 3 5% 17% 29% 11%	3037
	21st to end	Night	33% 3 7% 21% 27% 9%	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	16% 14% 38% 24% 7%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 18% 33% 24% 5% 2	270
	21st to end	Day	15% 11% 41% 23% 8% 1	297
February	1st to 10th	Day	20% 14% 37% 23% 6%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 14% 44% 20% 2	270
	21st to end	Day	26% 17% 40% 14% 3	225
March	1st to 10th	Day	19% 18% 35% 20% 7% 1	270
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 20% 37% 16% 6%	270
	21st to end	Day	20% 14% 45% 18% 4	297
April	1st to 10th	Day	16% 22% 30% 24% 7%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 16% 43% 21% 4	387
	21st to end	Day	14% 17% 38% 22% 8% 1	650
May	1st to 10th	Day	14% 10% 37% 30% 8%	653
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 7% 33% 28% 14% 3	675
	21st to end	Day	15% 7% 31% 27% 16% 4	734
June	1st to 10th	Day	7% 3 18% 36% 30% 7%	680
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 2 20% 42% 25% 5%	680
	21st to end	Day	4 3 14% 40% 30% 10%	680
July	1st to 10th	Day	5% 1 9% 33% 36% 15%	671
	11th to 20th	Day	3 2 7% 32% 41% 14%	668
	21st to end	Day	3 1 5% 31% 43% 17%	739
August	1st to 10th	Day	3 1 8% 38% 40% 11%	676
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 2 9% 35% 37% 9%	665
	21st to end	Day	5% 1 5% 33% 38% 19%	523
September	1st to 10th	Day	7% 1 7% 26% 42% 17%	300
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 1 7% 35% 36% 15%	300
	21st to end	Day	13% 3 11% 31% 30% 12%	300
October	1st to 10th	Day	4 4 22% 36% 23% 11%	300
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 9% 30% 32% 18% 2	297
	21st to end	Day	22% 9% 26% 28% 13% 2	297
November	1st to 10th	Day	16% 6% 37% 27% 11% 3	270
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 9% 37% 27% 12% 2	270
	21st to end	Day	20% 11% 37% 23% 8% 1	270
December	1st to 10th	Day	12% 11% 36% 29% 9% 2	270
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 13% 36% 26% 6%	270
	21st to end	Day	24% 12% 35% 24% 5%	297
January	1st to 10th	Night	13% 11% 37% 31% 7% 1	950
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 13% 35% 32% 7%	950
	21st to end	Night	13% 10% 36% 33% 7%	1045
February	1st to 10th	Night	16% 13% 39% 28% 4	860
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 15% 38% 26% 4 1	744
	21st to end	Night	16% 16% 43% 23% 2	628
March	1st to 10th	Night	15% 15% 35% 30% 4	589
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 13% 39% 29% 4	570
	21st to end	Night	14% 12% 44% 25% 4	627
April	1st to 10th	Night	11% 14% 44% 27% 4	570
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 13% 44% 26% 5%	563
	21st to end	Night	13% 9% 44% 26% 7% 1	570
May	1st to 10th	Night	11% 10% 39% 33% 6% 1	570
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 6% 32% 34% 14% 1	561
	21st to end	Night	7% 4 34% 37% 16% 2	617
June	1st to 10th	Night	5% 2 21% 43% 27% 2	570
	11th to 20th	Night	4 1 25% 53% 16%	570
	21st to end	Night	3 1 17% 48% 28% 4	570
July	1st to 10th	Night	5% 1 10% 43% 37% 4	555
	11th to 20th	Night	3 1 9% 45% 40% 3	552
	21st to end	Night	2 1 8% 43% 42% 3	624
August	1st to 10th	Night	2 1 7% 49% 39% 1	567
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 9% 45% 36% 3	564
	21st to end	Night	2 1 6% 44% 42% 6%	627
September	1st to 10th	Night	6% 2 11% 44% 34% 3	570
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 1 13% 41% 31% 3	570
	21st to end	Night	9% 2 15% 43% 28% 3	570
October	1st to 10th	Night	7% 2 24% 39% 25% 2	585
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 7% 31% 38% 13%	759
	21st to end	Night	16% 9% 29% 32% 13% 1	792
November	1st to 10th	Night	10% 6% 35% 36% 12% 1	759
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 12% 33% 35% 11% 1	950
	21st to end	Night	16% 10% 35% 29% 9%	950
December	1st to 10th	Night	13% 10% 35% 34% 7%	950
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 12% 33% 32% 6%	950
	21st to end	Night	16% 12% 37% 29% 6%	1045

Page generated at 2024-10-17 12:09:41. Version ac07

Copyright © 2024 Attilla Danko.