| Star Party Weather | ||||||||||
|
Got
a favourite star party? Or maybe you like to travel from one to another?
Here's a set of climatological tables that will let you know how the
cloudiness shapes up.
Technical details: These cloud statistics are extracted from data archives at the National Climate Data Center. At each star party site, the closest location for which cloud cover data are available was selected, with due regard for similar topographical positioning and climate influences. The tables are a little unfair to some mountain star parties (both on the east and west coast) where the nearest climate station (usually airports) is not always close to the star party site. Some star party sites and dates also change from year to year, but the most recent information that I could find is included in the tables. Generally, the cloud amounts are 20-year averages ending in 2008. The cloud data are for midnight, local standard time. The cloud categories are derived from regular hourly observations, which, for historical reasons, are evaluated in eights of sky covered (oktas). Thus "few" is 1 to 2 eights, "scattered" is 3 to 4 eights, "broken" is 5 to 7 eights, and "overcast" is a sky with no breaks at all. Clear requires a completely cloud-free sky. Obscured usually refers to fog, in which the sky is not visible, and partly obscured is the same, but with some transparency or breaks. I treat these categories as overcast. The "average cloud amount" is a statistical combination of the seven categories. Keeping up with all of the star parties is a big job, and if I've missed your site or have the wrong month, let me know and I'll fix it up. Many of these events change months from year to year, but the cloud cover stats will probably not change much if I'm not up-to-date. And remember - these are climatological averages, not necessarily the weather you will get. -
Jay Anderson |
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| Star Party Weather - Canada | ||||||||||
| Midnight Percent Frequency of... | ||||||||||
| Name | Location |
Date
|
Clear | Few | Scattered | Broken | Overcast | Obscured | Partly obscured | Average Cloud Amount |
| Tuktoyaktuk Star Party | Tuktoyaktuk, NWT or substitute | January | 34.5 | 9.1 | 8.7 | 15.9 | 30.6 | 1.2 | 0 | 49 |
| Frozen Banana Star Party | Munro Park near Powassan, ON | May | 29.5 | 15.5 | 3.9 | 16.6 | 32.6 | 1.8 | 0 | 51 |
| Rendez-vous des Observateurs du Ciel | Mansonville, QC | May-June | 35 | 16.8 | 2.6 | 13 | 32.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 47 |
| Concours Annuel de Fabricants de Télescopes d'Amateurs | Valleyfield, QC | July | 36.9 | 14.4 | 11.5 | 17.7 | 19.1 | 0.3 | 0 | 41 |
| Gateway to the Universe Star Party | Restoule Provincial Park, ON | July | 24.7 | 26.4 |
6.7
|
19.9 | 20.9 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 45 |
| StarBQ | Eccles Ranch, Caroline, AB | July | 11.8 | 35.2 | 8.9 | 30 | 14.1 | 0 | 0 | 47 |
| Stargazing Manitoulin | Gordon's Park, Manitoulin Island, ON | July | 27.8 | 27.1 | 5.1 | 17.5 | 21.2 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 43 |
| Astro Atlantik | Mt. Carleton Prov. Park, NB | August | 24.6 | 24.6 | 0 | 15 | 35.3 | 0 | 0.5 | 51 |
| Butterpot Star Party | Butterpot Prov Park (36km SW of St.John's, NL) | August | 11.6 | 17.8 | 4.7 | 18.8 | 39.9 | 7.4 | 0 | 67 |
| Huronia Star Party | Highlands Nordic Centre, Duntroon, ON | August | 12.4 | 23.3 | 0 | 38.8 | 21.7 | 3.9 | 0 | 60 |
| Manitoulin Star Party | Manitoulin Is., ON | August | 33.6 | 21.8 | 5.4 | 14.3 | 23 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 42 |
| Mt. Kobau Star Party | Mt Kobau, BC | August | 37.7 | 26.5 | 6.9 | 17.3 | 11.2 | 0 | 0.3 | 32 |
| Nova East | Smiley's Prov Park, Brooklyn, NS | August | 24.1 | 16.2 | 5.3 | 14.5 | 28.1 | 11 | 0.9 | 56 |
| RASCALS Star Party | Malahat, BC | August | 31.1 | 29.3 | 4.2 | 22.2 | 13 | 0.2 | 0 | 37 |
| Saskatchewan Summer Star Party | Cypress Hills, SK | August | 25.7 | 32.7 | 11.4 | 14.3 | 15.8 | 0 | 0 | 37 |
| Starfest | River Place Campground, Mount Forrest, ON | August | 12.4 | 23.3 | 0 | 38.8 | 21.7 | 3.9 | 0 | 60 |
| Alberta Star Party | Drumheller, AB | September | 29.5 | 20.2 | 5.7 | 20 | 24.1 | 0.5 | 0 | 46 |
| Annual Algonquin Adventure | Algonquin Park, ON | September | 25.7 | 21.3 | 6.3 | 14.5 | 30.5 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 50 |
| Fall 'n Stars | North of Belleville, ON | September | 27.8 | 22.7 | 4.3 | 18.7 | 25.8 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 46 |
| Merritt Star Quest (Fall) | Loon Lake Gravel Pit, Merritt, BC | September | 36.6 | 18.4 | 4.8 | 23.6 | 16.7 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
| Northern Prairie Starfest | Black Nugget Lake, AB | September | 15.8 | 26.3 | 7.2 | 28 | 22.6 | 0 | 0.2 | 52 |
| Spruce Woods Star Party | Spruce Woods Prov Park, MB | September | 42.4 | 16.2 | 6.4 | 13.1 | 21.5 | 0.4 | 0 | 37 |
| Star Party Weather - United States | ||||||||||
| Midnight Percent Frequency of... | ||||||||||
| Name | Location | Date | Clear | Few | Scattered | Broken | Overcast | Obscured | Partly obscured | Average Cloud Amount |
| Cedar Key Winter Star Party | Cedar Key, FL | February | 41.9 | 7.6 | 1.8 | 11.9 | 34.3 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 47 |
| Death Valley Star Party | Death Valley National Park, CA | February | 36.8 | 18.4 | 3.9 | 19.7 | 21.1 | 0 | 0 | 41 |
| Orange Blossom Special Star Party | Alafia River State Park southeast of Tampa, FL | February | 56 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
| Wagman Winterfest | Deer Lakes Regional Park near Russellton, PA | February | 22.7 | 8.5 | 2.7 | 12.4 | 52.2 | 1.6 | 0 | 66 |
| Winter Star Party | Girl Scout Camp Wesumkee, Florida Keys, FL | February | 49.1 | 16.7 | 9.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| All Arizona Messier Marathon | Farnsworth Ranch near Arizona City, AZ | March | 79.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 9.2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| CFAS Astrofest | Kissimmee Prairie Preserve | March | 70 | 5.4 | 4 | 7.9 | 12.3 | 0.4 | 0 | 21 |
| Hodges Gardens Star Party | Hodges Gardens State Park, LA | March | 54.8 | 3 | 4.6 | 7.6 | 28.9 | 1.1 | 0 | 38 |
| Kentuckiana Star Gaze and Messier Marathon | Taylorsville Lake State Park, KY | March | 37.6 | 8 | 4 | 12.7 | 37.4 | 0.2 | 0 | 51 |
| Smoky Mountain Stargaze | near Cherokee, NC | March | 43.1 | 7.4 | 4.9 | 10.1 | 34.5 | 0 | 0 | 46 |
| Antietam Battlefield Star Party | Antietam battlefield near Sharpsburg, MD | April | 38.7 | 11.9 | 3.1 | 13.1 | 31.7 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 47 |
| Delmarva Stargaze | Tuckahoe State Park, MD | April | 54.3 | 0 | 0 | 2.9 | 42.9 | 0 | 0 | 45 |
| Georgia Sky View Party | Indian Springs State Park south of Jackson, GA | April | 32.5 | 16.2 | 11.9 | 17.5 | 21.9 | 0 | 0 | 43 |
| Mid-South Star Gaze | French Camp, MS | April | 63.3 | 6.7 | 2.7 | 8 | 19.3 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| South Jersey Spring Star Party | Belleplain State Forest, NJ | April | 43.5 | 11.1 | 1.8 | 10 | 30.7 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 44 |
| Southern Star Astronomy Convention | Wildacres near Little Switzerland, NC | April | 41.5 | 9.2 | 5.9 | 11.7 | 31.4 | 0.3 | 0 | 45 |
| Tennessee Spring Star Party | Fall Creek Falls State Park near Spencer, TN | April | 44.1 | 10 | 1.7 | 10 | 32.7 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 44 |
| Texas Star Party | Prude Ranch near Fort Davis, TX | April | 88.1 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 5.7 | 3.8 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| WKAA Spring Star Party | Pennyrile Forest State Park, KY | April | 30.6 | 11.6 | 12.3 | 19 | 26.1 | 0.4 | 0 | 49 |
| Astro Acres Spring Star Party | south of Morocco, IN | May | 22 | 20.5 | 1 | 22.9 | 33.2 | 0.5 | 0 | 55 |
| Prineville Reservoir Star Party | Prineville, OR | May | 50.9 | 8.1 | 4.2 | 13.7 | 23.1 | 0 | 0 | 37 |
| Riverside Telescope Makers Conference (RTMC) Astronomy Expo | YMCA Camp Oakes near Big Bear City, CA | May | 48.5 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 21.2 | 18.2 | 0 | 0 | 38 |
| Southern New Mexico Star Party | City of Rocks State Park, NM | May | 90.2 | 0 | 3 | 3.8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| North Dakota Star Party | Cross Ranch State Park, ND | May-June | 54.4 | 8.3 | 5.4 | 7.6 | 24.4 | 0 | 0 | 34 |
| Midnight Percent Frequency of... | ||||||||||
| Name | Location | Date | Clear | Few | Scattered | Broken | Overcast | Obscured | Partly obscured | Average Cloud Amount |
| AOS Starfest | Stone Tavern Farm, NY | June | 58 | 5.7 | 2.3 | 11.5 | 21.4 | 1.1 | 0 | 33 |
| Apollo Rendezvous and Telescope Fair | John Bryan State Park near Yellow Springs, OH | June | 29.5 | 16.7 | 14.4 | 20.5 | 18.9 | 0 | 0 | 44 |
| Bryce Canyon Astronomy Festival | Bryce Canyon National Park, UT | June | 77.2 | 5.2 | 4.7 | 7.4 | 5.4 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Cherry Springs Star Party | Cherry Springs State Park near Coudersport, PA | June | 44.7 | 7.6 | 5 | 10.8 | 29.7 | 2.2 | 0 | 44 |
| Craters of the Moon Star Party - June | Craters of the Moon National Monument, ID | June | 36.4 | 32.3 | 2.3 | 22.3 | 6.8 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| Golden State Star Party | Frosty Acres Ranch, Adin, CA | June | 77.7 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 6.3 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| Grand Canyon Star Party | South Rim, AZ | June | 88.4 | 3.2 | 2.3 | 3.5 | 2.6 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Green Bank Star Quest | Green Bank, WV | June | 39.9 | 7.9 | 4.9 | 13.8 | 29.9 | 3.6 | 0 | 48 |
| Rocky Mountain Star Stare | Pike's National Forest, CO | June | 70.1 | 6.5 | 3.4 | 7.8 | 12.2 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| Sky Tour | Monroeville, OH | June | 63.1 | 8 | 4.1 | 8.9 | 15.9 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
| Starconn | Middletown, CT | June | 50.7 | 7.1 | 5.2 | 7.6 | 28.4 | 0.9 | 0 | 39 |
| Wisconsin Observers Weekend (WOW) | Hartman Creek State Park, WI | June | 62.1 | 0 | 12.3 | 7.3 | 18.3 | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Connecticut River Valley Astronomers' Conjunction | Northfield Mountain, MA | July | 50.8 | 9.2 | 4.8 | 7.2 | 24.4 | 3.6 | 0 | 37 |
| Indiana Family Star Party | Camp Cullom near Frankfort, IN | July | 71.4 | 8.2 | 2.7 | 10.2 | 7.5 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| Mason-Dixon Star Party | Shreveport Airport/Footlight Ranch, PA | July | 39.8 | 9.4 | 10.4 | 14.5 | 25 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 43 |
| Montana Starwatch | Lewis & Clark National Forest, MT | July | 65.9 | 11.2 | 3.8 | 10.6 | 8.5 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Mount Bachelor Star Party | Mount Bachelor Ski Area, Bend, OR | July | 83.3 | 7.5 | 1.5 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Nebraska Star Party | Merritt Reservoir, NE | July | 72.6 | 7.2 | 3.1 | 4 | 12.8 | 0.2 | 0 | 19 |
| Sola Fide Star Party | Austin, MN | July | 60.5 | 4.7 | 8.5 | 7.8 | 17.9 | 0.6 | 0 | 29 |
| Table Mountain Star Party | Table Mountain, near Ellensberg, WA | July | 85.5 | 4.6 | 1.7 | 5.9 | 2.4 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Almost Heaven Star Party | near Franklin, WV | August | 47.5 | 6.9 | 6.7 | 13.1 | 22.4 | 3.5 | 0 | 40 |
| Deception Pass Star Party | Deception Pass State Park, WA | August | 17.6 | 21.6 | 12.9 | 27.9 | 18.4 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 51 |
| North Dakota Badlands Star Party | North Unit, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, ND | August | 71.9 | 7.7 | 3.7 | 6.3 | 10.1 | 0.2 | 0 | 18 |
| Shingletown Star Party | Shingletown, CA | August | 88.3 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 2 | 1.6 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Sierra Summer Star Party | Alpine County Airport near Markleeville, CA | August | 95.4 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Weekend Under the Stars | Foxpark, WY (west of Laramie) | August | 92.9 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Midnight Percent Frequency of... | ||||||||||
| Name | Location | Date | Clear | Few | Scattered | Broken | Overcast | Obscured | Partly obscured | Average Cloud Amount |
| Iowa Star Party | Coon Rapids, IA | August | 43 | 11.8 | 10.2 | 10 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 39 |
| Northwoods Starfest | Beaver Creek Reserve near Eau Claire, WI | August | 48.8 | 11.3 | 6.7 | 11.5 | 21.2 | 0.3 | 0 | 35 |
| Oregon Star Party | Ochoco National Forest, OR | August | 82.3 | 6.7 | 1.3 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| South Dakota Star Party | near Beresford, SD | August | 64.8 | 7.5 | 3.3 | 10.2 | 13.6 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 24 |
| Stellafane | Breezy Hill, Springfield, VT | August | 47.5 | 4.8 | 3.7 | 13.8 | 26.3 | 4 | 0 | 43 |
| Ark-La-Tex Star Party | west of Nashville, AR | September | 62.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 10.3 | 17.2 | 3.4 | 0 | 31 |
| Arunah Hill Days | Arunah Hill near near Pittsfield, MA | September | 49.8 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 12.2 | 24.1 | 3 | 0 | 40 |
| Astroblast | Two Mile Run County Park, Franklin, PA | September | 46 | 11.6 | 1.9 | 16.3 | 21.9 | 2.3 | 0 | 40 |
| Astrofest | Kankakee, IL | September | 55.9 | 12.7 | 6.9 | 11.8 | 12.7 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
| Big Meadows Star Gaze | Shenandoa National Park, VA | September | 47.9 | 4.1 | 8.2 | 10.3 | 28.8 | 0.7 | 0 | 42 |
| Black Forest Star Party | Cherry Springs State Park, PA | September | 44.2 | 7.4 | 3 | 9.6 | 32.3 | 3.6 | 0 | 46 |
| California Star Party (CalStar) | Lake San Antonio, CA | September | 39 | 3.6 | 1.9 | 6.4 | 42.8 | 6.4 | 0 | 56 |
| Connecticut Star Party | Ashford, CT | September | 48.4 | 5 | 5 | 7.4 | 31.3 | 2.9 | 0 | 43 |
| Craters of the Moon Star Party - September | Craters of the Moon National Monument, ID | September | 79.9 | 0 | 6.2 | 3.5 | 10.4 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Delmarva No Frills Star Party | Tukahoe State Park, MD | September | 75 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| Eagles Park Star Party (Fall) | near Montauk State Park, MO | September | 61.8 | 0 | 3.6 | 9.1 | 25.5 | 0 | 0 | 34 |
| Great Lakes Star Gaze | River Valley RV Park, Gladwin, MI | September | 45.9 | 0 | 8.8 | 6.8 | 36.6 | 2 | 0 | 48 |
| Hidden Hollow Star Party | Warren Rupp Observatory near Mansfield, OH | September | 66.9 | 6 | 2.7 | 5.7 | 18.2 | 0.5 | 0 | 25 |
| Idaho Star Party | Bruneau Dunes State Park, ID | September | 38.1 | 11.6 | 16.7 | 20.5 | 12.6 | 0.5 | 0 | 38 |
| Illinois Dark Skies Star Party | Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area near Springfield, IL | September | 66 | 4.3 | 3.2 | 7 | 19.3 | 0.3 | 0 | 27 |
| Okie-Tex Star Party | Kenton, OK | September | 73.1 | 5.1 | 2.7 | 4.5 | 14.7 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Prairie Skies Star Party | Camp Shaw-Waw-Nas-See near Bourbonnais, IL | September | 55.9 | 12.7 | 6.9 | 11.8 | 12.7 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
| Sola Fide Observatory Star Party | Austin, MN | September | 60.3 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 5.8 | 24.3 | 0 | 0 | 32 |
| South Jersey Fall Star Party | Belle Plain State Forest, NJ | September | 49.1 | 13.4 | 3.5 | 10.4 | 21.3 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 34 |
| Tennessee Star Party | Camp Nakanawa, Crossville, TN | September | 63.2 | 6.8 | 5.2 | 8 | 16.8 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
| White Sands Star Party | White Sands, NM | September | 85.2 | 0 | 7.9 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Midnight Percent Frequency of... | ||||||||||
| Name | Location | Date | Clear | Few | Scattered | Broken | Overcast | Obscured | Partly obscured | Average Cloud Amount |
| All Arizona Star Party | Farnsworth Ranch, south of Arizona City, AZ | October | 90.1 | 4.2 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Blackwater Falls Astro Weekend | Blackwater Falls State Park, WV | October | 44.4 | 0 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 36.2 | 3.8 | 0 | 50 |
| Central Texas Star Party | Canyon of the Eagles Lodge, near Burnet, TX | October | 60.6 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 7.4 | 24.4 | 0.6 | 0 | 33 |
| Eastern Iowa Star Party | Wapsi River Environmental Education Center (WREEC), near Dixon, Iowa | October | 62 | 3.7 | 2.8 | 6.5 | 24.8 | 0.3 | 0 | 32 |
| Eldorado Star Party | northwest of Sonora, TX | October | 70.8 | 4.2 | 1.9 | 4.9 | 18.1 | 0.1 | 0 | 24 |
| Enchanted Skies Star Party | 30 miles S of Socorro, NM | October | 91 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 5.3 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Heart of America Star Party | 15 mi SW Butler, MO | October | 60.9 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 6.1 | 23.9 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| ICStars Star Party | IC Stars Ranch near Warrensburg, MO | October | 40.3 | 7.7 | 13.1 | 14.5 | 24.4 | 0 | 0 | 43 |
| Jersey Starquest | Hope, NJ | October | 23.5 | 25.5 | 8.8 | 5.6 | 33.9 | 2.8 | 0 | 49 |
| Mason-Dixon Star Party | Shreveport Airport/Footlight Ranch, PA | October | 42.6 | 8.1 | 4.8 | 13.6 | 29.9 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 44 |
| Mid-Atlantic Star Party (MASP) | near Robbins, NC | October | 55.2 | 0 | 8 | 5.7 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 39 |
| NOVAC Star Gaze | Crockett Park south of Manassas, VI | October | 50.6 | 0 | 5.6 | 7.2 | 34.4 | 2.2 | 0 | 45 |
| Peach State Star Gaze | Deerlick Astronomy Village, Sharon, GA | October | 54.5 | 7.3 | 3.6 | 9.6 | 23.4 | 1.5 | 0 | 35 |
| Starry Nights Festival | Yucca Valley, CA | October | 63.4 | 19.2 | 6.8 | 9.1 | 1.6 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Stella-Della-Valley Star Party | Camp Onas, near Ottsville, PA | October | 47.6 | 7.7 | 4.8 | 8.5 | 30.5 | 0.8 | 0 | 41 |
| Tennessee Fall Star Gaze | Fall Creek Falls State Park near Spencer, TN | October | 57.1 | 6.8 | 1.7 | 7.2 | 24.9 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 35 |
| Twin Lakes Star Party | Pennyrile Forest State Park, KY | October | 62.5 | 4.6 | 1.6 | 6.8 | 24.1 | 0.5 | 0 | 31 |
| Chiefland Astronomy Village Star Party | Chiefland, FL | November | 51.4 | 10.7 | 3.4 | 13.8 | 18.9 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 34 |
| Deep South Regional Star Gaze | Camp Ruth Lee, north of Baton Rouge, LA | November | 46.3 | 10.2 | 3.7 | 9.2 | 29.2 | 1.4 | 0 | 41 |
| RTMC Nightfall | Palm Canyon Resort, Borrego Springs, CA | November | 62.2 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 5.6 | 16.1 | 11.9 | 0 | 33 |