Cloud levels

[klytus]

Just wondering at what the minimum percentage cloud cover would you reckon its worth getting ready for a bit of observing? For example metcheck say i'll get about 33% cloud cover tonight where as tomorrow should be totally clear.

Must admit its somewhat of hard decision to make especially when i have try carry everything about 30 feet to the bottom of our backyard with my health and that heq5 weighs a ton to me

[LukeSkywatcher]

33% sounds good. That's one third of sky cloudy. That leaves a whole 2/3rds clear. Yep thats worth setting up for.

[Sparrow]

Definately go for it at 33%

I read somewhere a while ago that the viewing is often better on nights with some cloud as the transparency and clarity of the clear sky tends to be better than on completely clear nights.

In my case, if I'm doing observing I will go out if there is cloud. For planetary imaging I'll also tolerate cloud. For deep sky imaging I don't bother - the cloud messes up the guiding.

[Beulah]

Now are you a 33% cloudy sky person, or a 67% clear sky person?

[James]

I guess it depends on how fast the clouds are moving - 33% cloud cover involving fast moving clouds is a pain for long exposure imaging but less single visual as you won't have to wait long for an object to become visible again.

As far as astro goes I'm a 33% cloudy person..

James

[LukeSkywatcher]

Last night was GREAT. The only clouds i saw all night were the dust clouds of the MW.

[shaunster]

I wouldnt set my scope up based on a metcheck forcast

Take a look at sat 24 that gives a better view of how the night may turn out

[klytus]

I wouldnt set my scope up based on a metcheck forcast

Take a look at sat 24 that gives a better view of how the night may turn out

Hmm after tonight i tend to agree,setup already at 9pm by 10:15pm nothing but cloud cover wall to wall so to speak with no sign of it clearing fast.

(To add insult to injury poked my head out of the back door at about 11:30pm before i went to bed, guess what? yep clear as a bell. Went to bed feeling fed up as i just too tired setting up earlier in the first place . Lesson learnt don't jump the gun and pack up too quickly when cloudy,wait an hour or so. Still very much a noobie waiting to get his first glimpse of a planet or dso after what? 3 months blah! )

[DarkerSky]

I don't think you can take a cloud cover forecast on its own as the decision maker or breaker in setting up. You need to look at the type of weather those clouds are involved with.

Like for example 33% cloud in an unstable showery airstream could mean that some of those clouds will drop rain. Likewise, if 33% cloud heralds the advance of a frontal system then you might only get a short amount oif time before you're totally clouded out

Yesterday aft we had heavy rain here for a few hours. The ground was soaked. The sky cleared 100% and I was tempted to set up. But I saw that humidity was up at 92% - I knew that if I got my scope out in those conditions I'd be dewed up within an hour. As it was the saturated ground induced a fog that blanked out the sky anyway

[johnrt]

Yesterday aft we had heavy rain here for a few hours. The ground was soaked. The sky cleared 100% and I was tempted to set up. But I saw that humidity was up at 92% - I knew that if I got my scope out in those conditions I'd be dewed up within an hour. As it was the saturated ground induced a fog that blanked out the sky anyway

We had similar weather in Kent. Rain all day then cleared up by 10.30pm. Humidity up at 93%. After the first 30-40 mins the camera lens misted up with dew and had to be de-misted after every 10 minute sub. Pain!

[fatwoul]

...I read somewhere a while ago that the viewing is often better on nights with some cloud as the transparency and clarity of the clear sky tends to be better than on completely clear nights...

I've read the same thing here and there, and have definitely found it to be true. I suspect its because the cloud helps to "sweep up" some of the particles in the atmosphere that would otherwise have caused a drop in clarity.

Having said that, my tolerance for cloud is lower than it should be, because I live in the 'burbs, and cloud reflects back so much city light that more than maybe 20% cloud coverage really starts to screw up my images. At my girlfriend's farm it's a different story. There. cloud is nice and black and just obstructs bits of the sky.

[pvaz]

I just look through the window and get my dob ready in 5 min if it's worth it!