Telescope Array Central Laser Facility
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Telescope Array Central Laser Facility clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-11-02.

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	3 5% 2 5% 4 4 4 4 6% 7% 57%	101232
	Night	4 6% 2 6% 4 4 4 4 6% 7% 54%	98006
Transparency	Day	26% 5% 8% 19% 23% 20%	100999
	Night	29% 5% 9% 20% 21% 16%	97829
Seeing	Day	6% 6% 17% 27% 26% 19%	14887
	Night	7% 4 19% 41% 27% 3	25053

By Month

Percentage Cloud Cover SW (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	4 11% 5% 10% 7% 7% 7% 6% 6% 6% 31%	2858
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 10% 4 9% 7% 8% 7% 5% 7% 8% 31%	2860
	21st to end	Day	6% 9% 3 9% 7% 5% 5% 5% 5% 8% 39%	3146
February	1st to 10th	Day	4 9% 4 7% 5% 5% 6% 5% 7% 10% 38%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	4 8% 3 8% 5% 5% 5% 5% 6% 7% 44%	1831
	21st to end	Day	3 8% 3 7% 5% 4 4 3 7% 8% 49%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	3 6% 2 7% 5% 5% 6% 4 6% 8% 47%	3288
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 10% 3 7% 5% 4 4 3 5% 6% 47%	3490
	21st to end	Day	6% 9% 3 7% 6% 6% 6% 5% 8% 8% 36%	3825
April	1st to 10th	Day	4 5% 2 6% 4 5% 5% 4 6% 7% 53%	2104
	11th to 20th	Day	4 6% 2 5% 5% 4 4 3 6% 6% 55%	2385
	21st to end	Day	6% 4 2 4 3 3 3 3 5% 7% 59%	2470
May	1st to 10th	Day	4 4 1 5% 4 4 5% 4 6% 7% 55%	4110
	11th to 20th	Day	4 3 1 4 4 4 4 3 6% 8% 60%	4071
	21st to end	Day	4 4 1 4 3 4 4 3 5% 6% 61%	4477
June	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 3 3 3 4 4 6% 9% 64%	2470
	11th to 20th	Day	3 2 1 3 3 3 3 3 4 6% 71%	2470
	21st to end	Day	2 1 1 2 2 2 3 2 4 6% 76%	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 4 4 80%	4110
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 1 3 3 4 5% 5% 8% 9% 57%	4110
	21st to end	Day	2 2 1 3 2 3 4 4 7% 9% 63%	4454
August	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 1 3 2 3 4 4 6% 8% 65%	4092
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 3 2 4 4 3 5% 7% 69%	4028
	21st to end	Day	2 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 4 5% 75%	4411
September	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 2 2 3 3 3 4 5% 74%	2104
	11th to 20th	Day	2 3 1 3 2 3 3 2 3 5% 73%	2090
	21st to end	Day	2 2 1 2 1 3 3 2 3 5% 77%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	6% 3 1 4 3 3 3 3 4 6% 65%	2060
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 2 3 3 2 3 2 4 6% 69%	1900
	21st to end	Day	4 4 1 4 3 3 3 3 3 6% 65%	2050
November	1st to 10th	Day	4 5% 2 5% 2 4 4 4 6% 8% 55%	1683
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 4 1 4 3 4 4 3 6% 8% 56%	1710
	21st to end	Day	5% 8% 2 7% 5% 5% 4 3 5% 5% 50%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	4 10% 3 7% 5% 5% 6% 5% 8% 6% 41%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 9% 3 9% 8% 6% 6% 6% 6% 9% 33%	2169
	21st to end	Day	4 8% 4 12% 6% 7% 7% 5% 7% 8% 32%	3146
January	1st to 10th	Night	3 10% 3 8% 6% 6% 5% 5% 8% 7% 39%	4097
	11th to 20th	Night	4 10% 4 10% 5% 5% 5% 4 7% 7% 39%	4110
	21st to end	Night	5% 9% 3 8% 6% 5% 6% 4 6% 9% 39%	4521
February	1st to 10th	Night	5% 7% 3 6% 5% 4 6% 4 7% 8% 45%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 8% 2 7% 4 5% 4 4 6% 6% 48%	2233
	21st to end	Night	4 8% 3 6% 5% 4 5% 4 7% 7% 48%	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	5% 10% 2 7% 5% 4 4 4 6% 7% 45%	3586
	11th to 20th	Night	4 9% 2 6% 4 4 5% 4 5% 7% 50%	3490
	21st to end	Night	8% 11% 4 7% 4 4 4 4 6% 6% 43%	3828
April	1st to 10th	Night	6% 6% 2 5% 4 4 4 4 6% 6% 53%	2071
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 6% 2 5% 4 4 4 4 6% 6% 55%	1743
	21st to end	Night	7% 5% 2 4 3 4 4 4 6% 7% 54%	1710
May	1st to 10th	Night	7% 7% 2 6% 5% 5% 4 4 5% 6% 49%	2860
	11th to 20th	Night	4 4 2 4 3 4 4 4 6% 7% 58%	2834
	21st to end	Night	5% 5% 2 5% 4 4 4 4 6% 6% 56%	3110
June	1st to 10th	Night	4 4 1 3 3 4 4 3 5% 9% 60%	1710
	11th to 20th	Night	4 3 1 4 3 3 3 3 4 5% 68%	1710
	21st to end	Night	2 1 1 3 3 4 4 3 5% 5% 70%	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 1 4 2 2 3 2 3 5% 74%	2860
	11th to 20th	Night	3 4 2 7% 6% 6% 7% 6% 9% 8% 42%	2860
	21st to end	Night	2 3 2 6% 4 6% 6% 5% 6% 7% 54%	3109
August	1st to 10th	Night	3 4 2 5% 4 4 6% 4 6% 7% 55%	2847
	11th to 20th	Night	1 2 1 4 2 3 4 4 6% 6% 68%	2811
	21st to end	Night	4 2 1 3 2 2 2 2 4 4 75%	3242
September	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 3 3 3 3 3 5% 5% 70%	2074
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 3 2 3 3 3 4 6% 70%	2090
	21st to end	Night	4 2 1 2 2 3 2 2 3 4 74%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	5% 4 2 4 3 3 3 2 5% 5% 65%	2118
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 1 3 3 3 3 3 5% 5% 68%	2280
	21st to end	Night	4 4 1 3 2 2 3 3 4 6% 68%	2546
November	1st to 10th	Night	4 5% 2 4 3 3 3 2 4 6% 64%	2430
	11th to 20th	Night	3 4 2 5% 3 2 3 3 5% 7% 63%	2470
	21st to end	Night	6% 7% 2 5% 3 3 4 3 5% 7% 55%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	6% 7% 3 6% 4 5% 4 4 5% 7% 49%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 8% 3 6% 5% 5% 6% 5% 7% 9% 39%	3041
	21st to end	Night	4 10% 4 11% 7% 7% 7% 5% 7% 7% 32%	4521

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	48% 7% 19% 19% 6%	2859
	11th to 20th	Day	49% 5% 21% 19% 5%	2860
	21st to end	Day	44% 6% 21% 22% 7% 1	3146
February	1st to 10th	Day	39% 6% 17% 23% 13% 2	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	38% 5% 12% 27% 16% 2	1841
	21st to end	Day	33% 5% 11% 30% 18% 2	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	31% 6% 10% 30% 20% 2	3288
	11th to 20th	Day	36% 7% 8% 29% 16% 4	3490
	21st to end	Day	38% 9% 11% 24% 15% 3	3825
April	1st to 10th	Day	28% 5% 9% 26% 21% 11%	2104
	11th to 20th	Day	30% 3 7% 22% 26% 12%	2388
	21st to end	Day	26% 4 7% 23% 30% 10%	2470
May	1st to 10th	Day	24% 6% 5% 22% 32% 11%	4110
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 6% 5% 19% 35% 16%	4074
	21st to end	Day	21% 5% 5% 18% 31% 20%	4477
June	1st to 10th	Day	16% 3 6% 16% 31% 27%	2470
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 3 4 11% 30% 37%	2470
	21st to end	Day	10% 3 2 7% 24% 53%	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	10% 2 2 5% 10% 71%	4046
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 5% 3 10% 24% 38%	4041
	21st to end	Day	15% 4 6% 14% 25% 36%	4314
August	1st to 10th	Day	15% 4 4 14% 33% 30%	4078
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 4 5% 13% 26% 39%	4067
	21st to end	Day	12% 3 3 11% 23% 48%	4410
September	1st to 10th	Day	13% 3 5% 10% 27% 42%	2104
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 3 5% 16% 28% 34%	2090
	21st to end	Day	12% 2 4 16% 36% 30%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	21% 3 6% 20% 33% 18%	2060
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 3 6% 23% 38% 12%	1900
	21st to end	Day	22% 3 7% 34% 29% 6%	2050
November	1st to 10th	Day	28% 4 13% 26% 25% 4	1683
	11th to 20th	Day	25% 5% 12% 35% 21% 2	1710
	21st to end	Day	36% 3 12% 28% 19% 2	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	41% 6% 15% 25% 10% 3	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	46% 7% 15% 24% 8%	2168
	21st to end	Day	48% 5% 16% 17% 12% 1	3146
January	1st to 10th	Night	39% 10% 17% 26% 8%	4097
	11th to 20th	Night	43% 6% 22% 21% 8%	4110
	21st to end	Night	38% 6% 24% 22% 9% 1	4521
February	1st to 10th	Night	36% 6% 14% 30% 12% 2	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	35% 5% 12% 23% 22% 4	2234
	21st to end	Night	35% 5% 10% 26% 21% 3	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	36% 4 11% 27% 20% 2	3586
	11th to 20th	Night	32% 6% 6% 30% 22% 4	3490
	21st to end	Night	40% 7% 8% 20% 21% 4	3828
April	1st to 10th	Night	31% 5% 7% 26% 20% 11%	2071
	11th to 20th	Night	29% 5% 6% 22% 27% 11%	1743
	21st to end	Night	28% 5% 8% 22% 29% 9%	1710
May	1st to 10th	Night	34% 6% 4 16% 26% 13%	2860
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 7% 5% 17% 33% 15%	2835
	21st to end	Night	25% 6% 5% 17% 33% 14%	3110
June	1st to 10th	Night	21% 4 6% 15% 28% 26%	1710
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 3 5% 9% 26% 38%	1710
	21st to end	Night	16% 4 2 7% 19% 51%	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	15% 3 2 4 7% 68%	2815
	11th to 20th	Night	31% 7% 5% 11% 18% 28%	2806
	21st to end	Night	27% 4 7% 11% 19% 31%	3011
August	1st to 10th	Night	24% 7% 6% 15% 21% 28%	2838
	11th to 20th	Night	16% 4 6% 14% 23% 38%	2838
	21st to end	Night	14% 3 4 9% 18% 51%	3242
September	1st to 10th	Night	15% 2 6% 12% 23% 42%	2074
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 3 4 15% 24% 36%	2090
	21st to end	Night	16% 2 4 12% 31% 36%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	23% 3 4 15% 34% 22%	2118
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 3 5% 18% 41% 14%	2280
	21st to end	Night	19% 3 5% 29% 35% 9%	2546
November	1st to 10th	Night	23% 2 8% 27% 31% 8%	2430
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 4 10% 34% 26% 4	2470
	21st to end	Night	30% 3 7% 34% 23% 2	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	34% 4 14% 29% 16% 3	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	38% 8% 15% 29% 10%	3041
	21st to end	Night	48% 5% 14% 18% 14% 1	4521

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	14% 5% 16% 32% 24% 9%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 5% 21% 31% 26% 8%	270
	21st to end	Day	10% 4 14% 29% 28% 15%	297
February	1st to 10th	Day	9% 7% 20% 32% 19% 13%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 9% 20% 31% 24% 9%	436
	21st to end	Day	7% 9% 25% 31% 21% 8%	382
March	1st to 10th	Day	10% 12% 22% 25% 23% 7%	460
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 9% 21% 31% 22% 10%	460
	21st to end	Day	12% 13% 28% 24% 17% 6%	506
April	1st to 10th	Day	7% 11% 22% 24% 25% 12%	460
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 13% 22% 28% 18% 9%	452
	21st to end	Day	8% 13% 20% 25% 18% 15%	460
May	1st to 10th	Day	5% 8% 24% 32% 20% 11%	463
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 5% 19% 23% 25% 20%	488
	21st to end	Day	6% 7% 16% 25% 23% 23%	529
June	1st to 10th	Day	3 5% 16% 27% 26% 24%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	4 8% 18% 26% 24% 21%	490
	21st to end	Day	3 3 16% 29% 31% 19%	490
July	1st to 10th	Day	3 2 13% 32% 29% 22%	486
	11th to 20th	Day	3 2 10% 28% 29% 29%	484
	21st to end	Day	3 1 8% 21% 34% 32%	531
August	1st to 10th	Day	3 1 11% 28% 31% 25%	487
	11th to 20th	Day	2 1 13% 25% 29% 30%	477
	21st to end	Day	3 2 14% 20% 33% 27%	539
September	1st to 10th	Day	2 4 12% 23% 26% 33%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	3 6% 17% 23% 27% 23%	490
	21st to end	Day	2 4 16% 19% 30% 28%	490
October	1st to 10th	Day	5% 4 16% 22% 28% 25%	460
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 3 12% 24% 26% 30%	300
	21st to end	Day	8% 5% 10% 29% 28% 19%	330
November	1st to 10th	Day	7% 7% 15% 27% 24% 21%	273
	11th to 20th	Day	4 4 12% 30% 32% 18%	270
	21st to end	Day	8% 3 15% 24% 30% 21%	270
December	1st to 10th	Day	9% 5% 11% 36% 26% 14%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 6% 11% 31% 35% 9%	270
	21st to end	Day	10% 7% 18% 38% 20% 7%	297
January	1st to 10th	Night	8% 5% 15% 41% 26% 6%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 3 15% 41% 26% 5%	760
	21st to end	Night	9% 3 15% 42% 25% 5%	836
February	1st to 10th	Night	8% 4 19% 46% 19% 3	760
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 3 21% 44% 20% 2	744
	21st to end	Night	7% 6% 25% 45% 17% 1	628
March	1st to 10th	Night	10% 8% 22% 42% 17% 2	760
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 6% 21% 45% 21% 2	760
	21st to end	Night	9% 9% 26% 39% 16% 1	836
April	1st to 10th	Night	8% 7% 27% 38% 19% 2	760
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 7% 31% 38% 15%	615
	21st to end	Night	10% 9% 24% 37% 18% 2	570
May	1st to 10th	Night	9% 7% 26% 38% 17% 2	570
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 5% 21% 41% 24% 2	561
	21st to end	Night	8% 7% 22% 35% 26% 2	617
June	1st to 10th	Night	5% 5% 22% 41% 26% 1	570
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 7% 26% 40% 21% 1	570
	21st to end	Night	3 2 22% 48% 25%	570
July	1st to 10th	Night	4 1 16% 41% 36% 1	555
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 2 11% 42% 36% 3	552
	21st to end	Night	4 1 12% 40% 42% 1	624
August	1st to 10th	Night	5% 1 18% 43% 32% 1	567
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 15% 45% 34% 2	564
	21st to end	Night	4 3 13% 40% 37% 3	684
September	1st to 10th	Night	4 2 11% 36% 41% 6%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 20% 34% 36% 6%	760
	21st to end	Night	5% 2 14% 34% 38% 7%	760
October	1st to 10th	Night	7% 3 18% 37% 31% 5%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	4 3 13% 41% 33% 6%	760
	21st to end	Night	6% 4 17% 37% 32% 5%	836
November	1st to 10th	Night	5% 4 18% 38% 31% 5%	748
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 3 17% 45% 26% 4	760
	21st to end	Night	8% 2 17% 38% 28% 6%	760
December	1st to 10th	Night	9% 3 16% 46% 23% 3	760
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 4 15% 44% 27% 1	760
	21st to end	Night	12% 6% 18% 43% 20% 2	836

Page generated at 2024-10-30 11:19:23. Version ac07

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