How do I read it?

Summary: In the rows labeled “sky conditions”, find a column of blue blocks. You can probably observe then.

Details: Read the image from left to right. Each column represents a different hour. The colors of the blocks are the colors from CMC’s forecast maps for that hour. The two numbers at the top of a column is the time. A digit 1 on top of a 3 means 13:00 or 1pm. It’s local time, in 24hr format. (Local time for Martz Observatory is -4.0 hours from GMT.)

Cloud Cover

Overcast  90% covered  80% covered  70% covered  60% covered  50% covered  40% covered  30% covered  20% covered  10% covered  Clear 

The line, labeled Cloud Cover forecasts total cloud cover. The colors are picked from what color the sky is likely to be, with Dark blue being clear. Lighter shades of blue are increasing cloudiness and white is overcast. This forecast may miss low cloud and afternoon thunderstorms. When the forecast is clear, the sky may still be hazy, if the transparency forecast is poor.

CMC’s text page explaining this forecast is here.

Transparency

Too cloudy to forecast  Poor  Below Average  Average  Above average  Transparent 

The line, labeled Transparency, forecasts the transparency of the air. Here ‘transparency’ means just what astronomers mean by the word: the total transparency of the atmosphere from ground to space. It’s calculated from the total amount of water vapor in the air. It is somewhat independant of the cloud cover forecast in that there can be isolated clouds in a transparent air mass, and poor transparency can occur when there is very little cloud.

Above average transparency is necessary for good observation of low contrast objects like galaxies and nebulae. However, open clusters and planetary nebulae are quite observable in below average transparency. Large globulars and planets can be observed in poor transparency.

A forecast color of white formally means that CMC didn’t compute the transparency forecast because the cloud cover was over 30%. So it may be possible to observe during a white transparency forecast, but the real transparency is usually yucky. CMC’s text page explaining this forecast is here.

Seeing

Too cloudy to forecast  Bad 1/5  Poor 2/5  Average 3/5  Good 4/5  Excellent 5/5 

The line, labeled Seeing, forecasts astronomical seeing. (It’s an experimental forecast.) Excellent seeing means at high magnification you will see fine detail on planets. In bad seeing, planets might look like they are under a layer of rippling water and show little detail at any magnification, but the view of galaxies is probably undiminished. Bad seeing is caused by turbulence combined with temperature differences in the atmosphere. This forecast attempts to predict turbulence and temperature differences that affect seeing for all altitudes.

Bad seeing can occur during perfectly clear weather. Often good seeing occurs during poor transparency. It’s because seeing is not very related to the water vapor content of the air.

The excellent-to-bad seeing scale is calibrated for instruments in the 11 to 14 inch range. There are some more details in CMC’s seeing forecast page.

No computer model forecasts convective heating well, so consider the seeing forecasts for daytime hours to be less accurate. Seeing is forecast for 3-hour blocks, so triples of seeing blocks will show the same color. A white block on the seeing line means that there was too much cloud (>80% cover) to calculate it.

Note also that you may observe worse seeing though your telescope than what a perfect seeing forecast would predict. That is because tube currents and ground seeing mimic true atmospheric seeing. You may also observe better seeing than predicted here when observing with an instrument smaller than 11 inches.

Darkness

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1.0 2.0 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.2 5.4 5.6 5.8 6.0

The line labeled darkness is not a weather forecast. It shows when the sky will be dark, assuming no light pollution and a clear sky. Black is a dark sky. Deep blue shows interference from moonlight. Light blue is full moon. Turquoise is twilight. Yellow is dusk and white is daylight. For those who prefer numbers, the scale is also calibrated. The numbers are the visual limiting magnitude at the zenith. (The brightness of the faintest star a standard observer can see straight up.) Mouse over a darkness block for details.

It is based on Ben Sugerman’s Limiting Magnitude calculations page. It takes into account the sun’s and moon’s position, moon phase, solar cycle and contains a scattering model of the atmosphere. It doesn’t consider light pollution, dust, clouds, snow cover or the observer’s visual acuity. So your actual limiting magnitude will often be different.

Wind

>45 mph  29 to 45 mph  17 to 28 mph  12 to 16 mph  6 to 11 mph  0 to 5 mph 

This forecasts wind speed at about tree-top level. The wind forecast won’t determine whether or not you can observe, but it may affect your comfort and the type observing you might be limited to. In particular, long-focal length astrophotography, or observing with large dobsonians require light wind conditions. High wind may be particularly dangerous for larger truss-tube dobsonians which must be disassembled in the vertical position.

Humidity

<25%  25% to 30%  30% to 35%  35% to 40%  40% to 45%  45% to 50%  50% to 55%  55% to 60%  60% to 65%  65% to 70%  70% to 75%  75% to 80%  80% to 85%  85% to 90%  90% to 95%  95% to 100% 

This forecasts ground-level relative humidity.

Humidity variations can indicate the likelihood of optics and eyepieces dewing.

But dewing is not simply correlated to relative humidity. Dewing tends to happen when the sky is clear, the temperature is dropping and there isn’t much wind. Being on a hilltop or in a small valley can make the difference between no dew and dripping telescopes. Unfortunately, the humidity forecast does not have the spatial resolution to know about small hills, valleys, or observatory walls. All of which can reduce dewing.

A sudden spike in the humidity forecast, an hour or so after the cloud forecast predicts a sudden transition from cloudy to clear, when there is no wind, means that ground fog will form.

Also, when the cloud forecast is opaque and the humidity forecast is 95%, rain is likely: a good time to cover the telescopes.

Since there are many different levels in this forecast, with similar looking colors, it’s best to activate the “explain colors when you mouse over” to interpret the colors.

Temperature

< -40F  -40F to -31F  -30F to -21F  -21F to -12F  -12F to -3F  -3F to 5F  5F to 14F  14F to 23F  23F to 32F  32F to 41F  41F to 50F  50F to 59F  59F to 68F  68F to 77F  77F to 86F  86F to 95F  95F to 104F  104F to 113F  >113F 

This forecasts temperatures near the ground. While temperature variations won’t determine if you can observe, the forecast can be handy choosing clothing for cold observing conditions. (In general, dress as if it were 20 degrees F or 10 degrees C colder than the forecast.) Observers with thick primary mirrors should take note of falling temperature conditions because their mirrors may require additional cooling to reach equilibrium and so prevent tube currents.

Cold temperatures also mean reduced battery capacity, stiffer lubricants, stiffer electrical cables and slower LCD displays. Camera sensors will have reduced noise. But, in general, electronics have a lowest temperature at which they will work.