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Clear Sky Chart

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109:, called a clear sky chart, showed all of Rahill's forecast data, but for only one location. Danko writes "It shows at a glance when, in the next 48 hours, we might expect clear and dark skies for one specific observing site". Danko accepts requests from observatories and private individuals to create new CSCs for locations not currently covered. However, since CMC's GEM model only covers North America, CSCs are limited to North America. In 2020, Danko added Norwegian/European forecast (ECMWF) information to some charts. Research continues as to which forecast is more reliable. 42:, parameters which are not forecast by civil or aviation forecasts. They forecast hourly data, but are limited to forecasting at most 48 hours into the future. Each individual chart provides data for only a 9 mile radius, and so are essentially point forecasts. There are clear sky chart forecasts for over 6100 locations, though the coverage area is limited to Canada, the USA and parts of Mexico and the Caribbean. Locations are typically cities, professional and public 58: 480: 504: 456: 492: 468: 117:
On February 29, 2008 Danko changed the name of the CSCs to "clear sky charts" to avoid any possibility of legal action on the part of Skyclock company of Michigan who owns a USA registered trademark on the name "SKYCLOCK". Danko's attorney opined that he was not infringing Skyclock Company's
78:(CMC) and amateur astronomer, created a forecast processing step that took data from CMC's Global Element Multi-scale (GEM) forecast model and created a new forecast of cloud cover. Rahill specially designed his cloud forecast to consider the formation of 118:
trademark, but also advised that changing the name was the "least painful" and least "expensive" solution. However, there continue to be references to the old name on web sites not controlled by the domain cleardarksky.com.
82:. The cirrus cloud modeling distinguishes Rahill's model from other cloud forecast models, as sufficient cirrus clouds to make a night unusable for astronomers is still called "clear" by civil weather forecasts. 85:
In later years, Rahill added a forecast of astronomical transparency, which is a measure of how much starlight traverses the Earth's atmosphere when otherwise free of clouds. Rahill also added a forecast of
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permit non-commercial web sites to display clear sky chart images, they are most commonly recognized by private and club astronomy websites in North America.
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awarded their Amateur Achievement Award to Allan Rahill on behalf of the Clear Sky Chart team composed of Allan Rahill and Attilla Danko.
200: 194: 105:, began to summarize Rahill's hundreds of forecast maps by displaying only one pixel, from each map, laid out in rows. The resulting 309: 168: 414: 336: 139: 438: 75: 404: 365:"Weather Resources on the Internet", Observer's Handbook 2008, pp78–82, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada 432: 529: 164:(CMOS) granted a citation to Rahill and Danko for a "vivid example of meteorology in support of astronomy". 524: 446: 178:
awarded Danko the Omega Centauri Award for making observing more efficient through the clear sky clock.
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Alternative services include 7timer (based on NOAA data) and Astrospheric (based on CMC data).
362:"STARSTRUCK: Clear Sky Clock", Ivan Semeniuk'. Daily Planet, Discovery Channel. April 15, 2005 47: 239:
Lydia Lousteaux., "'Interview with the creators of the Clear Sky Clock'" astronomytoday.com;
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Rahill and Danko have received awards from meteorological and astronomical organizations:
8: 508: 356:"Interview with the creators of the Clear Sky Clock" Lydia Lousteaux. astronomytoday.com 175: 87: 39: 313: 496: 484: 353:"The Clear Sky Clock" Sky News magazine. #54 | Volume IX, Issue 6 | March/April, 2004 350:"A Weather Clock for Observers". A.Danko. Sky & Telescope Magazine; Apr 2003; 62; 250:"The Clear Sky Clock" Sky News magazine. #54 | Volume IX, Issue 6 | March/April, 2004 154: 150: 102: 27: 460: 408: 340: 183: 333: 219:
A. Danko., "'A Weather Clock for Observers'", Sky and Telescope Apr 2003; 62;
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awarded Danko the Ken Chilton Prize in recognition of the "Clear Sky Clock".
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Sample image of a clear sky clock for one particular observatory.
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CMOS Prizewinners 2004 / Lauréats des prix de la SCMO, 2004
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until February 29, 2008) are web graphics which deliver
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http://www.astronomytoday.com/astronomy/interview7.html
444: 162:Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society 157:in recognition of Danko's and Rahill's forecasts. 516: 101:In 2001, Attilla Danko, computer programmer and 50:. However there are also clear sky charts for 371:"How We Really Predict Clouds" Danko, A., 56: 16:Weather forecast service for astronomers 121: 517: 169:Royal Astronomical Society of Canada 98:to forecast its optical steadiness. 310:"Tim Cole., Astronotes August 2005" 140:Astronomical Society of the Pacific 13: 14: 541: 379: 373:Journal of Irreproducible Results 94:and temperature gradients in the 502: 490: 478: 466: 454: 429:the Windows Vista Sidebar Gadget 394:free email notification service 327: 151:161693 Attilladanko (2006 HL46) 415:Canadian Meteorological Centre 398:Weather forecast for astronomy 302: 291: 277: 265: 253: 244: 233: 224: 213: 155:171153 Allanrahill (2005 GL81) 129: 112: 76:Canadian Meteorological Centre 1: 206: 145:In 2009, Asteroid discoverer 54:and backyard observatories. 439:iCSC: Clear Sky Chart Viewer 367:http://www.rasc.ca/handbook/ 90:which uses forecast data of 7: 423:for MacOS (10.4 or greater) 182:Since the clear sky charts 10: 546: 435:iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch App 65: 30:designed specifically for 70:In 2000, Allan Rahill, a 421:Clear Sky Clock widget 375:, 2006, VOL 50; NUMB 1 62: 392:Clear Sky Alarm Clock 60: 34:. They forecast the 122:Alternative Services 530:Weather forecasting 189:Other Recognition: 176:Astronomical League 88:astronomical seeing 40:astronomical seeing 38:, transparency and 407:2019-12-23 at the 402:Environment Canada 339:2006-02-07 at the 103:amateur astronomer 63: 525:Amateur astronomy 28:weather forecasts 537: 507: 506: 505: 495: 494: 493: 483: 482: 481: 471: 470: 459: 458: 457: 450: 388:Official website 343: 331: 325: 324: 322: 321: 312:. Archived from 306: 300: 295: 289: 288: 281: 275: 269: 263: 257: 251: 248: 242: 237: 231: 228: 222: 217: 149:named asteroids 20:Clear Sky Charts 545: 544: 540: 539: 538: 536: 535: 534: 515: 514: 513: 503: 501: 491: 489: 479: 477: 465: 455: 453: 445: 409:Wayback Machine 386:Clear Sky Chart 382: 347: 346: 341:Wayback Machine 332: 328: 319: 317: 308: 307: 303: 296: 292: 283: 282: 278: 270: 266: 258: 254: 249: 245: 238: 234: 229: 225: 218: 214: 209: 132: 124: 115: 68: 48:science centers 46:, colleges and 17: 12: 11: 5: 543: 533: 532: 527: 512: 511: 499: 487: 475: 463: 443: 442: 436: 430: 424: 417: 411: 395: 389: 381: 380:External links 378: 377: 376: 369: 363: 360: 354: 351: 345: 344: 326: 301: 290: 276: 264: 252: 243: 232: 223: 211: 210: 208: 205: 204: 203: 197: 180: 179: 172: 165: 158: 143: 131: 128: 123: 120: 114: 111: 67: 64: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 542: 531: 528: 526: 523: 522: 520: 510: 500: 498: 488: 486: 476: 474: 469: 464: 462: 452: 451: 448: 440: 437: 434: 431: 428: 425: 422: 418: 416: 412: 410: 406: 403: 399: 396: 393: 390: 387: 384: 383: 374: 370: 368: 364: 361: 359: 355: 352: 349: 348: 342: 338: 335: 330: 316:on 2006-10-03 315: 311: 305: 299: 294: 286: 280: 273: 268: 261: 256: 247: 241: 236: 227: 221: 216: 212: 202: 198: 196: 192: 191: 190: 187: 185: 177: 174:In 2003, the 173: 170: 167:In 2005, the 166: 163: 160:In 2004, the 159: 156: 152: 148: 144: 141: 138:In 2010, the 137: 136: 135: 127: 119: 110: 108: 104: 99: 97: 93: 89: 83: 81: 80:cirrus clouds 77: 73: 72:meteorologist 59: 55: 53: 49: 45: 44:observatories 41: 37: 33: 29: 25: 21: 509:Solar System 372: 329: 318:. Retrieved 314:the original 304: 293: 279: 267: 255: 246: 235: 226: 215: 201:Attilladanko 188: 184:terms of use 181: 133: 125: 116: 100: 84: 69: 52:star parties 23: 19: 18: 497:Outer space 485:Spaceflight 334:TSP History 195:Allanrahill 147:Andrew Lowe 130:Recognition 113:Name change 36:cloud cover 32:astronomers 519:Categories 320:2008-01-02 207:References 96:atmosphere 92:turbulence 461:Astronomy 199:Asteroid 193:Asteroid 107:meteogram 427:Download 405:Archived 337:Archived 22:(called 447:Portals 441:iOS App 74:at the 66:History 24:clocks 473:Stars 433:myCSC 400:from 419:The 413:The 153:and 521:: 449:: 323:. 287:. 274:; 262:;

Index

weather forecasts
astronomers
cloud cover
astronomical seeing
observatories
science centers
star parties

meteorologist
Canadian Meteorological Centre
cirrus clouds
astronomical seeing
turbulence
atmosphere
amateur astronomer
meteogram
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Andrew Lowe
161693 Attilladanko (2006 HL46)
171153 Allanrahill (2005 GL81)
Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
Astronomical League
terms of use
Allanrahill
Attilladanko


"'Clear Sky Chart FAQ: Why the name change?'"; cleardarksky.com
"'Clear Sky Chart News'"; Feb 29, 2008; cleardarksky.com

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