Schaefer Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Schaefer Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-11-28.

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 6% 5% 4 5% 4 6% 8% 42%	101243
	Night	14% 6% 2 5% 4 3 3 3 5% 7% 47%	98405
Transparency	Day	37% 7% 12% 20% 16% 8%	105012
	Night	34% 7% 13% 20% 17% 10%	102763
Seeing	Day	12% 6% 19% 27% 25% 11%	14864
	Night	15% 6% 24% 35% 18% 2	24771

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	16% 10% 2 6% 4 3 4 3 4 5% 45%	2847
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 6% 1 4 3 3 2 2 4 6% 52%	2850
	21st to end	Day	24% 7% 2 6% 3 3 3 2 6% 7% 36%	3203
February	1st to 10th	Day	22% 8% 3 4 3 4 3 3 4 5% 42%	1900
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 9% 2 5% 4 4 3 2 3 6% 42%	1849
	21st to end	Day	19% 7% 2 5% 4 3 3 4 4 5% 43%	1636
March	1st to 10th	Day	16% 7% 3 8% 5% 5% 4 4 6% 7% 35%	3436
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 9% 4 10% 5% 5% 4 4 5% 5% 30%	3480
	21st to end	Day	17% 7% 2 5% 5% 3 4 3 5% 7% 42%	3814
April	1st to 10th	Day	15% 8% 3 7% 6% 4 4 4 5% 5% 40%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 7% 2 8% 5% 4 4 4 4 5% 40%	2103
	21st to end	Day	13% 8% 2 6% 5% 4 4 3 6% 7% 43%	2300
May	1st to 10th	Day	20% 7% 3 7% 5% 5% 4 4 6% 7% 32%	4082
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 6% 2 7% 5% 5% 5% 3 5% 8% 41%	4082
	21st to end	Day	9% 5% 2 6% 5% 5% 6% 5% 7% 9% 39%	4477
June	1st to 10th	Day	6% 4 2 5% 5% 5% 6% 4 7% 9% 47%	2470
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 4 1 6% 5% 5% 6% 5% 8% 10% 45%	2470
	21st to end	Day	6% 6% 3 7% 8% 7% 8% 6% 7% 10% 33%	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	9% 4 1 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% 7% 11% 43%	4120
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 6% 2 8% 5% 6% 6% 6% 8% 12% 36%	4120
	21st to end	Day	11% 8% 2 7% 6% 5% 7% 5% 8% 11% 31%	4465
August	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 1 3 3 4 5% 3 6% 10% 63%	4104
	11th to 20th	Day	3 2 1 4 3 5% 6% 6% 10% 13% 49%	3955
	21st to end	Day	5% 4 2 7% 6% 6% 7% 6% 7% 10% 41%	3840
September	1st to 10th	Day	7% 5% 2 8% 5% 6% 6% 6% 7% 8% 40%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 6% 3 8% 6% 5% 5% 4 6% 8% 40%	2090
	21st to end	Day	7% 6% 1 5% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 8% 48%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	5% 4 1 5% 4 5% 4 3 6% 8% 55%	2074
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 5% 2 5% 3 4 4 3 5% 6% 51%	1900
	21st to end	Day	11% 6% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 4 5% 54%	2090
November	1st to 10th	Day	12% 7% 2 6% 5% 4 5% 3 5% 7% 44%	1958
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 6% 2 6% 4 3 4 3 4 6% 52%	2000
	21st to end	Day	15% 8% 3 6% 4 3 4 3 5% 6% 42%	1782
December	1st to 10th	Day	16% 9% 3 7% 5% 3 4 3 4 6% 41%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 8% 2 7% 5% 3 3 3 5% 5% 42%	2161
	21st to end	Day	16% 7% 2 6% 4 3 3 3 3 5% 48%	3135
January	1st to 10th	Night	20% 8% 2 4 3 3 3 2 4 5% 47%	4108
	11th to 20th	Night	16% 6% 2 4 2 2 2 2 3 4 58%	4120
	21st to end	Night	24% 7% 2 5% 4 3 2 2 4 7% 39%	4493
February	1st to 10th	Night	20% 9% 3 5% 3 2 3 3 5% 6% 41%	2280
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 7% 2 5% 3 3 3 2 3 4 46%	2218
	21st to end	Night	22% 7% 2 6% 4 4 3 3 4 4 41%	1817
March	1st to 10th	Night	22% 12% 2 5% 4 4 4 4 5% 6% 33%	3419
	11th to 20th	Night	26% 9% 4 7% 4 4 4 3 4 6% 29%	3480
	21st to end	Night	16% 7% 2 6% 4 4 3 3 4 5% 46%	3817
April	1st to 10th	Night	14% 7% 2 6% 4 3 5% 4 5% 7% 43%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 7% 2 6% 4 3 3 3 5% 7% 43%	2023
	21st to end	Night	16% 7% 1 6% 4 4 3 3 5% 7% 44%	1875
May	1st to 10th	Night	25% 9% 3 6% 5% 4 3 4 5% 6% 31%	2823
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 7% 2 6% 4 4 4 3 4 7% 45%	2823
	21st to end	Night	13% 7% 2 6% 4 5% 5% 4 7% 9% 39%	3090
June	1st to 10th	Night	5% 3 2 5% 3 3 4 2 7% 9% 57%	1710
	11th to 20th	Night	4 4 1 4 4 3 5% 4 6% 9% 56%	1710
	21st to end	Night	6% 4 2 5% 5% 5% 6% 5% 8% 10% 46%	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	4 4 1 4 4 3 4 4 7% 10% 54%	2850
	11th to 20th	Night	4 5% 3 5% 4 4 5% 4 6% 10% 49%	2850
	21st to end	Night	7% 8% 3 7% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 11% 39%	3098
August	1st to 10th	Night	1 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 5% 8% 74%	2836
	11th to 20th	Night	1 2 1 3 3 3 4 5% 8% 12% 57%	2880
	21st to end	Night	4 2 1 4 3 4 4 4 8% 13% 52%	3814
September	1st to 10th	Night	7% 4 2 5% 3 4 4 4 6% 9% 49%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 6% 2 6% 4 4 4 4 6% 8% 47%	2090
	21st to end	Night	8% 4 2 5% 3 4 4 3 6% 7% 54%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	4 3 1 4 3 3 3 4 5% 8% 62%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 5% 1 5% 3 3 2 2 3 7% 58%	2275
	21st to end	Night	11% 5% 2 4 2 3 3 2 4 5% 61%	2508
November	1st to 10th	Night	11% 6% 2 5% 4 3 3 3 4 7% 50%	2340
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 6% 2 5% 4 5% 3 3 4 6% 51%	2400
	21st to end	Night	15% 6% 2 6% 4 3 3 3 5% 7% 47%	2550
December	1st to 10th	Night	17% 8% 2 5% 4 3 3 3 5% 5% 45%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 8% 3 6% 4 3 3 3 5% 5% 41%	3036
	21st to end	Night	17% 7% 2 5% 3 3 4 2 3 6% 49%	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% 7% 6% 15% 21% 10%	2848
	11th to 20th	Day	33% 5% 7% 20% 23% 12%	2850
	21st to end	Day	46% 4 5% 12% 23% 10%	3203
February	1st to 10th	Day	46% 4 6% 13% 17% 13%	1900
	11th to 20th	Day	46% 4 7% 14% 17% 11%	1859
	21st to end	Day	42% 6% 9% 15% 16% 12%	1636
March	1st to 10th	Day	45% 8% 11% 15% 14% 6%	3436
	11th to 20th	Day	54% 9% 8% 7% 16% 7%	3480
	21st to end	Day	40% 7% 9% 17% 19% 8%	3814
April	1st to 10th	Day	45% 6% 8% 16% 14% 11%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	46% 6% 7% 13% 18% 10%	2103
	21st to end	Day	41% 6% 7% 21% 18% 8%	2300
May	1st to 10th	Day	47% 9% 12% 17% 11% 5%	4120
	11th to 20th	Day	40% 8% 10% 17% 20% 5%	4086
	21st to end	Day	34% 11% 14% 29% 10% 1	4489
June	1st to 10th	Day	30% 9% 15% 25% 19% 2	2470
	11th to 20th	Day	30% 10% 15% 23% 18% 3	2470
	21st to end	Day	41% 12% 13% 22% 10% 1	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	33% 7% 26% 29% 5% 1	4056
	11th to 20th	Day	38% 9% 18% 23% 11%	4051
	21st to end	Day	45% 8% 20% 23% 4	4325
August	1st to 10th	Day	17% 7% 13% 42% 20%	4090
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 8% 30% 30% 7% 1	3994
	21st to end	Day	36% 10% 18% 22% 12% 2	3839
September	1st to 10th	Day	39% 10% 12% 18% 14% 6%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	39% 9% 14% 17% 16% 4	2090
	21st to end	Day	32% 9% 12% 19% 16% 13%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	18% 4 7% 12% 20% 38%	3451
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 4 8% 18% 30% 18%	3140
	21st to end	Day	29% 4 5% 19% 28% 15%	3428
November	1st to 10th	Day	37% 7% 10% 16% 19% 11%	1958
	11th to 20th	Day	34% 5% 11% 15% 20% 15%	2000
	21st to end	Day	42% 6% 8% 15% 17% 12%	1782
December	1st to 10th	Day	45% 5% 8% 17% 18% 7%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	43% 6% 8% 10% 22% 12%	2159
	21st to end	Day	40% 4 5% 16% 22% 13%	3135
January	1st to 10th	Night	39% 5% 8% 14% 17% 16%	4108
	11th to 20th	Night	31% 5% 6% 18% 26% 14%	4120
	21st to end	Night	46% 4 5% 13% 21% 11%	4493
February	1st to 10th	Night	45% 4 8% 11% 18% 14%	2280
	11th to 20th	Night	43% 5% 7% 16% 17% 13%	2218
	21st to end	Night	47% 4 7% 13% 15% 14%	1817
March	1st to 10th	Night	50% 8% 9% 13% 14% 6%	3419
	11th to 20th	Night	54% 9% 8% 12% 10% 7%	3480
	21st to end	Night	40% 6% 9% 15% 20% 10%	3817
April	1st to 10th	Night	39% 7% 11% 17% 15% 10%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	41% 6% 10% 15% 14% 14%	2023
	21st to end	Night	41% 5% 10% 20% 15% 9%	1875
May	1st to 10th	Night	50% 9% 10% 16% 9% 5%	2850
	11th to 20th	Night	36% 8% 13% 19% 17% 7%	2824
	21st to end	Night	36% 12% 17% 27% 8% 1	3099
June	1st to 10th	Night	21% 9% 19% 30% 18% 1	1710
	11th to 20th	Night	24% 7% 16% 32% 17% 4	1710
	21st to end	Night	30% 10% 18% 28% 12% 1	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	24% 7% 31% 33% 4	2805
	11th to 20th	Night	29% 8% 24% 29% 11%	2796
	21st to end	Night	39% 8% 24% 24% 5%	2999
August	1st to 10th	Night	9% 5% 19% 49% 18%	2826
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 8% 33% 35% 6% 1	2907
	21st to end	Night	23% 12% 26% 26% 12% 1	3814
September	1st to 10th	Night	29% 11% 19% 21% 14% 5%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	32% 10% 16% 23% 15% 5%	2090
	21st to end	Night	27% 7% 15% 22% 17% 12%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	14% 4 9% 17% 17% 39%	3480
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 3 9% 20% 31% 20%	3774
	21st to end	Night	21% 3 5% 25% 30% 16%	4120
November	1st to 10th	Night	33% 6% 11% 19% 19% 12%	2340
	11th to 20th	Night	34% 5% 11% 16% 19% 15%	2400
	21st to end	Night	38% 5% 9% 16% 19% 13%	2550
December	1st to 10th	Night	41% 5% 9% 20% 15% 10%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	44% 5% 7% 11% 17% 16%	3037
	21st to end	Night	38% 5% 6% 13% 26% 11%	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% 11% 36% 24% 7% 1	270
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 10% 30% 26% 8% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	22% 12% 31% 23% 11% 1	297
February	1st to 10th	Day	29% 14% 29% 20% 8%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 20% 28% 20% 7% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	27% 11% 40% 21% 2	225
March	1st to 10th	Day	21% 16% 36% 20% 7%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 17% 39% 20% 7% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	18% 15% 35% 26% 7%	297
April	1st to 10th	Day	20% 15% 35% 24% 6% 1	270
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 12% 33% 24% 11% 1	301
	21st to end	Day	18% 11% 30% 29% 12%	480
May	1st to 10th	Day	12% 12% 40% 26% 10%	653
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 7% 26% 32% 17% 3	675
	21st to end	Day	12% 5% 26% 36% 18% 4	734
June	1st to 10th	Day	7% 3 13% 34% 34% 10%	680
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 1 13% 40% 31% 9%	680
	21st to end	Day	7% 2 9% 32% 35% 15%	680
July	1st to 10th	Day	7% 3 6% 30% 35% 19%	671
	11th to 20th	Day	4 2 4 25% 46% 20%	668
	21st to end	Day	4 1 6% 24% 43% 21%	739
August	1st to 10th	Day	2 1 4 22% 46% 25%	676
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 1 3 24% 45% 22%	618
	21st to end	Day	7% 2 4 17% 29% 41%	342
September	1st to 10th	Day	7% 1 6% 23% 33% 30%	300
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 2 7% 21% 37% 28%	300
	21st to end	Day	11% 1 3 21% 42% 22%	300
October	1st to 10th	Day	6% 1 11% 30% 36% 16%	300
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 2 15% 33% 27% 12%	300
	21st to end	Day	17% 10% 19% 23% 23% 8%	330
November	1st to 10th	Day	18% 6% 16% 33% 19% 7%	300
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 8% 20% 31% 21% 4	300
	21st to end	Day	21% 15% 26% 20% 13% 4	291
December	1st to 10th	Day	16% 8% 28% 33% 10% 6%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 14% 30% 24% 10% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	19% 7% 39% 25% 8% 2	297
January	1st to 10th	Night	23% 8% 31% 28% 10%	950
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 11% 27% 31% 8% 1	950
	21st to end	Night	23% 9% 30% 31% 7%	1019
February	1st to 10th	Night	26% 11% 29% 28% 5%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	25% 10% 33% 27% 4	744
	21st to end	Night	25% 14% 39% 19% 3	561
March	1st to 10th	Night	21% 13% 36% 27% 3	570
	11th to 20th	Night	20% 11% 34% 29% 6%	570
	21st to end	Night	17% 7% 43% 27% 5%	627
April	1st to 10th	Night	14% 10% 42% 30% 4	570
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 10% 37% 29% 6%	563
	21st to end	Night	19% 8% 36% 28% 7% 1	570
May	1st to 10th	Night	16% 9% 40% 29% 6%	570
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 5% 33% 38% 11% 1	561
	21st to end	Night	10% 3 29% 41% 16% 1	617
June	1st to 10th	Night	5% 2 16% 51% 25% 1	570
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 1 21% 53% 19% 1	570
	21st to end	Night	5% 3 12% 42% 33% 5%	570
July	1st to 10th	Night	6% 2 8% 45% 35% 5%	555
	11th to 20th	Night	3 1 6% 44% 42% 3	552
	21st to end	Night	4 1 4 46% 40% 4	624
August	1st to 10th	Night	1 4 50% 40% 5%	567
	11th to 20th	Night	3 1 5% 46% 40% 6%	564
	21st to end	Night	5% 1 5% 31% 53% 6%	627
September	1st to 10th	Night	7% 1 7% 33% 45% 7%	570
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 2 6% 37% 42% 4	570
	21st to end	Night	9% 11% 32% 42% 5%	570
October	1st to 10th	Night	5% 1 10% 44% 36% 4	570
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 3 21% 42% 19% 3	755
	21st to end	Night	11% 8% 23% 37% 19% 2	836
November	1st to 10th	Night	12% 5% 22% 40% 20% 2	780
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 8% 24% 38% 16% 1	800
	21st to end	Night	18% 9% 27% 31% 15% 1	974
December	1st to 10th	Night	21% 8% 26% 31% 13% 1	950
	11th to 20th	Night	24% 11% 28% 30% 7% 1	950
	21st to end	Night	21% 9% 29% 32% 9% 1	1045

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