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Clear Outside Weather Forecasts for Astronomers

FLO
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FLO

FLO

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... when you request a forecast, the URL of the page will change. If you then bookmark this URL it will take you back to that locations forecast everytime.

We have noticed some blogs and astronomy societies are already doing this. They are listing Clear Outside links at their websites so their members can easily check a number of observing sites.

Here are some for fun: 

FLO HQ

SGL Star party

Kelling

Kielder

Les Granges (Olly's place) :smiley:

HTH,

Steve

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FLO
FLO

"It is not the employer who pays the wages.  Employers only handle the money.  It is the customer who pays the wages."  Henry Ford First Light Optics is only one month away from her sevent

Mr Spock
Mr Spock

While you are updating it, can you get rid of all that red. I don't like it 

FLO
FLO

Clear Outside has made over 2.1 million forecasts for 41,462 locations.  We really didn't know if it would be a success when we launched it back in 2014 so we are chuffed to bits!   Thank-you to ever

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romx

romx

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Thanks Grant.  Can the location not be stored in a cookie?

most browsers will not be making use of cookies in some later versions. 

Very nice looking site bookmarked :)

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Grant_FLO

Grant_FLO

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Thanks Grant.  Can the location not be stored in a cookie?

Sorry - missed this!

You are right, we could remember the last looked up forecast in a cookie and set that as the default - good idea I will have a look at doing this :)

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jgs001

jgs001

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If you bookmark the page with your location on it, the URL contains that location. That way, when you go to the bookmark, the site takes you straight back to your correct location. It worked for me that way...

http://clearoutside.com/forecast/54.7/-2

This is using a couple of random long/lat values I entered rather than mine, but the principle is the same.

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Grant_FLO

Grant_FLO

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Thanks Grant.  Can the location not be stored in a cookie?

Thanks goes to Zakalwe for this suggestion :) I have now implemented it - there is a little orange button, top right of every forecast 'Set as Default Location' which, will cause the website to remember the location chosen, and go back to it on the homepage each time you visit.

This will only work on the device where you set the default location but it should save some time for people.

It's a new addition, so please let me know if you experience any hiccups: bugs@clearoutside.com.

Cheers,

Grant

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Cozzy

Cozzy

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Thanks goes to Zakalwe for this suggestion :) I have now implemented it - there is a little orange button, top right of every forecast 'Set as Default Location' which, will cause the website to remember the location chosen, and go back to it on the homepage each time you visit.

This will only work on the device where you set the default location but it should save some time for people.

It's a new addition, so please let me know if you experience any hiccups: bugs@clearoutside.com.

Cheers,

Grant

Thanks to all you folks.

works a treat, nice one

Tim

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IanWatkins

IanWatkins

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Nice, I like. :)

Yep, don't use cookies for between session data retention, they are off the way of the dodo. Think the easiest, HTML5 way, is localStorage.

You could, if you have good 4D datasets, calculate Cn2 for seeing forecasts, but it doesn't really work for blended forecasts, you need to choose the best set and then apply it to that. Transparency also relies on 4D datasets for humidities plus aerosols and is probably a little more difficult to blend.

Would be interested to hear how you are using a statistical method to choose best/blend forecasts but still keep them meteorologically consistent, if that's not proprietary, as that's a difficult one to solve.

But all that aside, it's a great site, easy to use and pulls all the relevant stuff together. Much kudos to all involved.

Cheers

Ian

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LDUNN1

LDUNN1

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I have not read all the posts in this thread, so maybe someone else has suggested this as future development already, but just in case....

......one of the features of Calsky that I like is that I have set it to email me with 'clear observing' opportunities. So a day or so before the clear patch I get an automated alert & can make suitable arrangements & preparations in advance. Could you consider a similar feature?


 

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Grant_FLO

Grant_FLO

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I have not read all the posts in this thread, so maybe someone else has suggested this as future development already, but just in case....

......one of the features of Calsky that I like is that I have set it to email me with 'clear observing' opportunities. So a day or so before the clear patch I get an automated alert & can make suitable arrangements & preparations in advance. Could you consider a similar feature?

Alerts will come - likely as part of the IOS/Android apps so we can do phone notifications. If there is a demand for a separate email alert then we will explore this as well.

Thanks,

Grant

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Joseki

Joseki

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Well neither the Met Office or COW :) were right last night but COW was closer. As a thought to additional stuff, perhaps a link section fir stuff like satellite images and jet stream forecasts that might be of interest to some but not worth integrating fully?

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

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JohnC64

JohnC64

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Works like a charm.  Had the demo from Grant at the I.A.S and have been having a look every day since then and it appears to be pretty darned accurate for me.  

Suggestions:  As well as the "clear clouds" button in the April 1st 2015 update - could we have a "Turn moon off" button too.  Would have come in handy last night :)

John

Edited by JohnC64
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FLO

FLO

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Sorry guys but your forecast shows clear all night here and so far it's 100% cloud . I admire your guts in producing a weather forecast for astronomers but so far it's 'must do better' I'm afraid

I will arrange a full and immediate refund...   :wink2:

Seriously, we are a retailer, we don't own our own weather satellites or balloons. We can only buy the best and most up-to-date weather data and deliver it to you in a useful, reliable and convenient form. 

Whilst no weather forecasting system can deliver 100% accuracy we have compared Clear Outside's forecasts vs actual weather over a number of weeks prior to launch and the results were good. We hope if you do the same you will be impressed but if not you can simply delete the bookmark and go back to whatever other system you were using  :smile:

ATB, 
Steve 
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kerrylewis

kerrylewis

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It's a fair point Steve that it hasn't cost me much - but I was surprised that Saturday night's forecast was so completely out. Maybe I was grumpy about the football too!

I promise that I will give it a longer trial by comparing the forecast with reality for each night that I can. I will then report back with lots of humble pie if required.

Meanwhile, I can't fault the retailing!

Cheers

Kerry

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FLO

FLO

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It's a fair point Steve that it hasn't cost me much

It hasn't cost you anything. It is a gift  :smile:

Regarding feedback, we will be building in a feedback mechanism so we can keep track of peoples actual results vs the forecasts. This will hopefully enable us to further improve the forecasts and spot area specific trends. 

Maybe I was grumpy about the football too!

I don't follow football so didn't know we had lost until you mentioned it but James and SteveB watched the match and say we played well so hopefully things will improve from here on. 

 I can't fault the retailing!

Thank-you  B)

Steve 

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