<p>Given a location (e.g. Osoyoos, British Columbia) and human eyes only, what's the ranges for the nights of the year most likely to give clear astronomical viewing?</p>

<p>What historical data sources might be mined for a clue? Satellite vs surface? Would the past few years/decades reliably help to predict the future year?</p>

<p>Constrained to the new moon cycle, how might the clearest months be determined?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-11T11:56:37.677Z
Average cloudiness comes to my mind. However I don't know if all weather stations record that and where they would publisize such data.
AtmosphericPrisonEscape
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-11T12:11:00.580Z
This seems to me more of an astronomy question than earth sciences. Why not do what I would do and check the local weather forecast?
Michael Walsby
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-11T12:11:44.520Z
Additionally, cloudiness & time of year might be a factor. The Canadian weather service (Canadian Meteorological Centre @ [Environment Canada](https://weather.gc.ca/) may have such records.
Fred
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-11T12:23:25.153Z
[Accuweather](https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/astronomy-weather/53286) offers an astronomy weather weather forecast. You could also ask someone from the [Department of Physics & Astronomy](http://www.astro.ubc.ca/) @ the University of British Columbia. You could also ask [Jack Newton](http://www.jacknewton.com/) who apparently lives in Osoyoos, as listed in the [Astronomy in British Columbia listings](http://listingsca.com/british-columbia/science_and_humanities/astronomy/).
Fred
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-11T18:00:16.907Z
@MichaelWalsby how can a question that's essentially about atmospheric conditions possibly not be earth science?!
Semidiurnal Simon
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-11T19:52:20.730Z
Looking for monthly trends usable about one year out. The nearest listed Environment Canada station (1125852) doesn't list obstructions to vision like cloudiness.

Penticton (~60 km north, station 1126146) does specify Mostly Cloudy/Clear, etc.

I'm wondering if a few recent years of various satellite imagery might be helpful. Is there specific data to look at?
Manny
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-12T19:20:50.860Z
https://www.cleardarksky.com/csk/
Keith McClary
<meteorology><weather-forecasting><astronomy>
Night sky visibility prediction
Manny
# Night sky visibility prediction

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-10-11)

Given a location (e.g. Osoyoos, British Columbia) and human eyes only, what's the ranges for the nights of the year most likely to give clear astronomical viewing?

What historical data sources might be mined for a clue? Satellite vs surface? Would the past few years/decades reliably help to predict the future year?

Constrained to the new moon cycle, how might the clearest months be determined?

**Tags:** meteorology, weather-forecasting, astronomy

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Average cloudiness comes to my mind. However I don't know if all weather stations record that and where they would publisize such data.  
> **username_2**: This seems to me more of an astronomy question than earth sciences. Why not do what I would do and check the local weather forecast?  
> **username_3**: Additionally, cloudiness & time of year might be a factor. The Canadian weather service (Canadian Meteorological Centre @ [Environment Canada](https://weather.gc.ca/) may have such records.  
> **username_3**: [Accuweather](https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/astronomy-weather/53286) offers an astronomy weather weather forecast. You could also ask someone from the [Department of Physics & Astronomy](http://www.astro.ubc.ca/) @ the University of British Columbia. You could also ask [Jack Newton](http://www.jacknewton.com/) who apparently lives in Osoyoos, as listed in the [Astronomy in British Columbia listings](http://listingsca.com/british-columbia/science_and_humanities/astronomy/).  
> **username_4**: @username_2 how can a question that's essentially about atmospheric conditions possibly not be earth science?!  
> **username_0**: Looking for monthly trends usable about one year out. The nearest listed Environment Canada station (1125852) doesn't list obstructions to vision like cloudiness.  Penticton (~60 km north, station 1126146) does specify Mostly Cloudy/Clear, etc.  I'm wondering if a few recent years of various satellite imagery might be helpful. Is there specific data to look at?  
> **username_5**: https://www.cleardarksky.com/csk/  

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## 0 answers

