Questions for the Met Office please!

[stash_old]

Hi all,

One answer from the Met Office regarding astronomy weather forecasts. They have sent me a link to this app which they endorse:http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/datapoint/showcase/scope-nights

John is interested in feedback from anybody who had used it.

I have asked about getting the same information added as a layer on their cloud / rain / weather infographic on their site - will keep you up to date on this.

James.

Falls at the first hurdle - Apple only - There are other none Apple users out there !

[D4N]

Falls at the first hurdle - Apple only - There are other none Apple users out there !

No they are just Apple users that haven't been converted yet

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[knobby]

Resistance is futile ...

Great thread by the way

[jamespels]

Just discovered it is Apple only, too. Have moaned to the Met Office!

I am an Android purist (apart from my work phone which I do my best to ignore) so no-go for me, either

Any users of the app know how it compares with Astro Panel?

[FLO]

Hi James, 

This weather forecast for the Peak Star Party might help, clicking on it takes you to a more detailed forecast 

It is refreshed hourly so will remain up-to-date. 

HTH, 

Steve 

PS: The small forecast in my signature below is different, it shows the weather for FLO HQ here in Exeter. 

[jamespels]

Thanks Steve!

Will point this out to the Met Office add an example. We use 7Timer! widgets on the PSP Weather page (http://www.peakstarparty.co.uk/index.php/psp-weather-forecast) but it is flaky at best - I think it uses very generalised data and algorithms.

Do you know what data the one you use is based on?

Ideally, this could be produced from specific data already available to the Met Office and interpreted in the same way as the rest of the forecast - not that that would necessarily be any more accurate!

[FLO]

Will point this out to the Met Office add an example. 

Oops! I was speed-reading so posted the link thinking you were struggling to find a reliable forecast. I hadn't noticed you were raising publicity for a talk by someone from the Met office 

Do you know what data the one you use is based on?

Details can be found here but the Met office is based in Exeter, only ten minutes from our HQ, and a number of their staff are FLO customers so I would prefer to quietly bow out rather than continue to be a distraction. 

ATB, 

Steve 

[jamespels]

Thanks Steve - very interesting thread; I must have just missed it while I was off SGL over the summer.

Will avoid mentioning this as a specific example - I can see the challenges that would raise for you.

PM to follow later on.

[greglloyd]

Regarding the Scope Nights app, it's not written by or even contracted by the Met Office. It's simply an app written by an iOS developer for the Apple App Store that pulls data from the met office as part of a premium option it has.

It would be unfair to moan at the Met Office about not having an Android version since they are not responsible for the development of the app. They merely supply data.

[jamespels]

It would be unfair to moan at the Met Office about not having an Android version since they are not responsible for the development of the app. They merely supply data.

Yes, but no!

(OK, saying I moaned at them was a bit too tongue-in-cheek. I am having an ongoing dialogue with John and discussed it in that context, not making a complaint).

Fully appreciate it is not a Met Office app - hence the comment about "endorsed by" rather than "written by". However, by endorsing it they do more than merely supplying data and I would expect them to "encourage" the developer to port it to both iOS and Android in return for said endorsement. This is especially pertinent as the Met Office is a govt. organisation who, by HMG's own guidelines, should be doing everything they can to support broad accessibility and platform diversity. Having spent six years working for a supplier of HMG sites, I have been immersed in the depth of legislation around this and know just how strictly this is enforced in many places. The Met Office have apparently not commissioned the app and there is a strong case that "some app is better than no app" so I also appreciate this is a grey area but, for me, it should not really be endorsed by the Met Office until it meets basic platform diversity standards.

I think I have inadvertently led this topic off track so, to bring it back to my original intention, this is a great opportunity to work, not shout at, the Met Office. In that vein, is there anybody here who has used the Scope Nights app and can you offer any insight into how well it works? 

[greglloyd]

I have used the app. I find that it generally predict clear periods fairly well. It even throws up alerts on your phone a few hours ahead of time to say that a clear slot may be available tonight.

It rates nights as poor, fair, good. To be honest, I think it sometimes rates a little low for my location. It will say an evening is poor or fair when I think the conditions are good.

Other than that, at a few days out it tends to change the ratings fairly often as new model data comes in.

Still haven't made up my mind on how good it really is.

Another app called Sky Live for iOS seems decent. Rated the other evening as 86% and I considered that as accurate. It scores in presence of moon and phase, expected sky conditions, and light pollution.

I still also tend to refer to model output charts directly as well though. These apps can be good for a quick look.

[jamespels]

Hi all, John Cotterill coveted write a lot of these questions in the talks he gave and is going to provide written answers over the next few weeks. As I get them, I will post them on here.

John is also up for visiting in 2015 and had asked if there are any specific meteorological talks you would be interested in.

[D4N]

Yes how do they fit so much cloud into a small telescope box?

Seriously though cloud formation is probably a good one

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Adrian Condon]

Hi James,

I use Scope Nights..... I find it pretty accurate for Hemel Hempstead, Cumbria SP at Longtown and SGL 9 Hereford.

Tonight it is cloudy here with rain promised, so will settle down with a cider...

Tomorrow night it promises a clear period around 22:00.

I went on a weather night school course, I was on the course at the time of the Michael Fish incident.

The course was run by a man from the Met Office. He kindly organised a trip to a Met Office out station near Crawley a week later.

We were shown the charts used by Michael Fish, they explained the info on the charts and then showed the class the launching of a weather balloon. We were each given a printed copy of the charts. It was a wonderful day.

I use a bottle of Ouzo to determine the dew point, the ouzo goes cloudy.............before the mirrors mist up.....so heaters go on!

Trust you have a great clear sky party.

Cheers

Adrian

[Physopto]

Hi James,

I use Scope Nights..... I find it pretty accurate for Hemel Hempstead, Cumbria SP at Longtown and SGL 9 Hereford.

Tonight it is cloudy here with rain promised, so will settle down with a cider...

Tomorrow night it promises a clear period around 22:00.

I went on a weather night school course, I was on the course at the time of the Michael Fish incident.

The course was run by a man from the Met Office. He kindly organised a trip to a Met Office out station near Crawley a week later.

We were shown the charts used by Michael Fish, they explained the info on the charts and then showed the class the launching of a weather balloon. We were each given a printed copy of the charts. It was a wonderful day.

I use a bottle of Ouzo to determine the dew point, the ouzo goes cloudy.............before the mirrors mist up.....so heaters go on!

Trust you have a great clear sky party.

Cheers

Adrian

Hi Adrian,

 How are you doing?

Trust one of us to bring in booze to sus out the dew point. Pity we can't use  a good malt whiskey instead!

Regards,

 Derek

[Adrian Condon]

Hi Derek,

I am fine, got a slight cough at present.

Bought another bottle of Ouzo at the start of the year, as the other became useless for dew detention, too much evaporated in a glass beforehand.

Whiskey has other uses, better appreciated while stargazing.

Trust you had a great Christmas.

Cheers

Adrian