Clear Outside Weather Forecasts for Astronomers

[Naemeth]

The other updates are related and are in anticipation of the return of astro darkness. 

The daylight bar now has more clearly defined darkness indicators. For example it shows astro darkness (black) returns here in Exeter Wed 16th. Hovering over the bar shows the duration of astro darkness is 01.07 - 01.45.

Cause for celebration we think 

For Southern UK astronomers, yes. For Northern astronomers.... we'll have to wait until the end of July / mid August.

[FLO]

We have also created an annual darkness chart so you can see how night/day cycles change over the year for your location. The last bit is important, it is modelled on your location 

Please click on the 'annual darkness' button top-left. You can also embed it in your own website, blog or forum and, like the cloud forecasts, it is updated every hour.

Below is an Annual darkness chart for my location. 

[FLO]

For Southern UK astronomers, yes. For Northern astronomers.... we'll have to wait until the end of July / mid August.

Yes

Clear Outside's calculations are based on your location, this is one of it's strengths and helps it stand out amongst similar sites using more general algorithms and less frequent updates. Even ISS passover times are calculated for your location. 

Steve 

[RichM63]

Great work Steve and team.

Woohooo, I've already got 2.5 hours of Astro darkness.

[FLO]

Thank-you for your comments and feedback

Here is another minor update following a request received earlier today. 

The 'Precipitation type' bar now displays a series of easy to read graphics to show how much rain is forecast. 

[Stevp]

It really is a great site and good to see the continual development pat-on-the-backs all round

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[FLO]

It really is a great site and good to see the continual development pat-on-the-backs all round

Thank-you Stevp

FLO's sales and communications if charted would look like the Annual Darkness graphic above so we are making Clear Outside and Astronomy Tools as good as we possibly can before the busy season arrives. 

[Solar_observer]

I've been doing a check with how it compares with the actual weather and so far it's been 90% accurate, I'm well happy with it flo

Can't wait for the app, any idea on timescale for iOS flo?

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[FLO]

I've been doing a check with how it compares with the actual weather and so far it's been 90% accurate, I'm well happy with it flo

Thank-you for taking the time to assess it over a number of days 

As you can imagine we have Clear Outside running continuously at FLO HQ and it is pretty accurate here too. I am looking forward to welcoming astro darkness at 01.07 tonight 

Can't wait for the app, any idea on timescale for iOS flo?

Not sure on the timescale atm (it will be our first app) but it will happen

Steve

[Stevp]

Not sure on the timescale atm (it will be our first app) but it will happen

Steve

Looking forward to it!

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[Solar_observer]

I actually use it mainly for day time (being into solar) and I've especially noticed it gets highly accurate the nearer it gets, too the time ie within the 24 hour timescale. Oh I will use it more often when my lunt 50 arrives

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[ronl]

It's great, everything I need to know in one place, and a Moon phase too, can only

say a very big thank you, and tonight's forecast is, clear sky's, and that has been

a rare occurrence lately, once again thank you.  

[FLO]

I actually use it mainly for day time (being into solar) and I've especially noticed it gets highly accurate the nearer it gets, too the time ie within the 24 hour timescale. Oh I will use it more often when my lunt 50 arrives

It is normal for a forecast's accuracy to improve as the forecast time approaches but we like to think Clear Outside's multiple feeds and hourly updates give it an advantage over sites that use only a single feed and update less frequently. Having accurate location mapping helps too. 

... and tonight's forecast is, clear sky's, and that has been

a rare occurrence lately, once again thank you.  

We will happily take full credit for your clear sky 

Steve

[ronl]

Well your forecast was spot on, the best session I have had for a long time,

thanks again for a great tool. 

[FLO]

We have added two more embeddable forecasts so you can now choose small, medium or large options

To embed a Clear Outside cloud forecast in your forum signature, website or blog please go to your local forecast then click on the 'Embed forecast' button (top-left). 

The 'small' option is shown below in my signature but here are the 'medium' and 'large' for comparison: 

[Naemeth]

Used the forecast yesterday for deciding whether or not to wear a waterproof coat - got both there and back without getting wet - as forecast . Serves as a good day time forecast as well as a night one .

[msh1]

i can't seem to change the default location i can change it to my location press set as default  but it not remembering it just goes back to exeter hq i tried deleting cookies didn't help 

mark

ps I'm using a mac and safari 6.1.4 

[daz]

It will certainly be an issue at your end Mark - works OK for everybody, pretty much. Works for me on my PC, tablet and Linux box at work

[msh1]

It will certainly be an issue at your end Mark - works OK for everybody, pretty much. Works for me on my PC, tablet and Linux box at work

thought it might be its no problem just wondering 

[garethmob]

Give us a sec just putting food in the fryer I'll give it a test on my MacBook Pro running latest and Mk1 MacBook that's running a much older system.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk please ignore any spelling typo thingys

[garethmob]

ok im running osx 10.9.3 (need to update i thinks) with safari Version 7.0.4 (9537.76.4)

it actually saved the forcast as well.     same on the macbook running a lot older versions.    do you have safari on so it saves cookies?    you havent got it in private browsing mode?

[Grant_FLO]

i can't seem to change the default location i can change it to my location press set as default  but it not remembering it just goes back to exeter hq i tried deleting cookies didn't help 

mark

ps I'm using a mac and safari 6.1.4

Clear Outside has been tested on a range of different browsers on different operating systems  - my main machine is a Mac so it's probably been more heavily tested on a Mac than anywhere else. I can't think/see of any specific reasons why that version of Safari would be any different.

To work, the "Set as Default" sets two cookies (latitude and longitude) of the default location then when you go directly to the homepage, it will present you with your default forecast.

Couple of things to check:

-You haven't bookmarked the FLO HQ Forecast rather than the homepage - you will only see your default location if you go to http://clearoutside.com/

-Your browser is accepting cookies and isn't blocking Clear Outside or as Gareth mentioned isn't in private mode.

The alternative option, is to simply bookmark the page showing your forecast - each forecast has a unique URL that will take you straight back to that locations forecast.

Cheers,

Grant

[msh1]

its official I'm an idiot id bookmarked flo hq page what a numpty 

mark

[Grant_FLO]

its official I'm an idiot id bookmarked flo hq page what a numpty 

mark

I'm just glad it wasn't a bug!

[RichM63]

This thing is BRILLIANT!!!

Every time I boot up I get a line of green across the top, and a line of dark blue across the bottom, then look up outside and yup, crystal clear skies.

None of my previous forecast sites could manage this.

Thanks Team FLO

Rich