Which Sky Prediction App Do You Use?

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Juno16 United States of America
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Which Sky Prediction App Do You Use?

#1

Post by Juno16 »


I have the PS Align Pro app on my iphone. I pretty much only use the app for the quick access to the sky prediction apps 7Timer, Dark Sky, Clear Outside, Meteoblue and the Clear Sky chart.

I get a feel for what the night might be like by browsing all of the apps. The two that I put most of the weight in are Clear Outside and Meteoblue. These two have performed well for me in my backyard.

What do you use and why? Are you an observer, or astrophotographer?

I like my "system", but I am always open to new applications, ideas, and experiences.

Thanks for your input!
Jim

Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
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Re: Which Sky Prediction App Do You Use?

#2

Post by Bigzmey »


Hi Jim.
I have tried a few and it seems that Clear Outside works consistently for me. Of cause no app is perfect and on occasion you end up missing a clear night or setting up just to take it down an hour later. :lol:
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
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Re: Which Sky Prediction App Do You Use?

#3

Post by Juno16 »


Bigzmey wrote: Mon Dec 13, 2021 4:52 pm Hi Jim.
I have tried a few and it seems that Clear Outside works consistently for me. Of cause no app is perfect and on occasion you end up missing a clear night or setting up just to take it down an hour later. :lol:

My experience also Bigz. Clear Outside is probably the most accurate (at least on the days that I can get out) with Metblue coming in second.

You are right. Sometimes it gets away from all of the apps and is clear on a predicted cloudy night and cloudy on a clear predicted night.

I do enjoy having these apps to help me decide!

Thanks.
Jim

Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), Orion 50mm Guide Scope, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, Orion SSAG, IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
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Re: Which Sky Prediction App Do You Use?

#4

Post by pakarinen »


Ventusky cloud maps mainly:

https://www.ventusky.com/?p=42.1;-87.7;5&l=clouds-high

I also use an iPhone app called Deep Weather which gives detailed, technical forecasts (I can decipher about 50-75% of what they write) but also has concise, understandable aviation forecasts which have been pretty accurate. Sometimes I supplement with GOES satellite loops.

CLO, Meteoblue, etc. have not proven to be very accurate here.
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Re: Which Sky Prediction App Do You Use?

#5

Post by kt4hx »


I utilize a combination of three sites:

Astrospheric
Clear Sky Chart
Clear Outside

Astrospheric is usually my primary source. They utilize the same sourcing as Clear Sky Chart - the Canadian Meteorlogical Center. However, they update their forecasts more often than does CSC and unlike CSC I can tailor the forecast to an exact location. As we know CSC has certain locations to choose from for a forecast. The closest one to my home location is about five miles. While that is close, its not close enough to mitigate local variances in weather changes sometimes. When it comes to our dark site house the closest CSC forecast location is 13 mile away. The weather is more unpredictable there due to the wide variations in elevation. so that is simply too far removed to be consistent. With Astrospheric I can set it for my exact location. As Andrey says none get it right all the time as that is the nature of weather and trying to predict it. But I've found Astrospheric pretty good for my purposes.

https://www.astrospheric.com/?
Alan

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Re: Which Sky Prediction App Do You Use?

#6

Post by JayTee »


Besides the standard apps that people have already listed, I've started using an Android app called Nightshift. It's reasonably accurate and does more than just tell you the weather.
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Re: Which Sky Prediction App Do You Use?

#7

Post by Juno16 »


@Bigzmey @pakarinen @kt4hx

Thanks everyone.

I rely on these apps quite a bit. Sometimes they are off (when predicting clear skies), but I have found that they are pretty accurate when predicting clouds.
Jim

Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), Orion 50mm Guide Scope, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, Orion SSAG, IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
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Re: Which Sky Prediction App Do You Use?

#8

Post by TCampbell »


I recently stumbled onto a feature of Astrospheric called the "ensemble" forecast. Here's an image (this isn't the whole display ... but it is the main section that shows off the ensemble model). I had been using Astropheric for a while on the free tier and didn't know this feature (available in the Pro tier.)
Screen Shot 2022-07-05 at 1.23.04 PM.png
This colorful display combines three models ... the Canadian Model (RDPS - this is the same model used by Clear Sky Chart), the North American Mesoscale (NAM) and the European model (same model used by Clear Outside (GFS).

Each model has a color assigned and you can see the color wheel in the left side of the chart.

RDPS (Canadian model) is blue
NAM (North American model) is green
GFS (European model) is red.

If two or more models agree then their colors are blended. E.g. Green + Red = Yellow ... so yellow would indicate that both NAM & GFS predict clouds but not RDPS. If all three models predict clouds you get white. If all three models predict clear then it's clear.

Below the chart are the hour-by-hour predictions (for the next three days) and you can click on any time slot you want to get the prediction for that hour. The top row of boxes are shaded for cloud-cover percent (dark blue is clear, the lighter the shade of blue ... all the way up to white is worse) as predicted by the RDPS (Canadian) model. There are two extra hash marks in each box and those represent NAM & GFS models.

This saves me time trying to track down the various forecasts *AND* it's updated consistently -- every 6 hours.

The downside is that the "ensemble" forecast is a feature of their "Pro" tier. That's $2.99/month or I think there is an option to pay $29/year. Still ... it is pretty nice to have all three forecast models in one app *and* be able to pick any time slot you want for the next three days to get a visual of the cloud cover prediction.

The author does make this ensemble feature available free ... to star parties and to astronomy clubs if they meet certain conditions.
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Re: Which Sky Prediction App Do You Use?

#9

Post by AstroBee »


TCampbell wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:39 pm I recently stumbled onto a feature of Astrospheric called the "ensemble" forecast. Here's an image (this isn't the whole display ... but it is the main section that shows off the ensemble model). I had been using Astropheric for a while on the free tier and didn't know this feature (available in the Pro tier.)
I've been using Astrospheric Pro for a while now and love the ensemble forecast. I find it to be the most accurate of all of the apps regarding cloud cover. But for winds, I use Clear Outside and Wunderground along with Hyperlocal Weather.
I'm almost 100% astro imager these days so wind is critical too and I've found that Astrospheric has failed me on occasion with its wind predictions. I find if Astrospheric and Clear Outside agree on winds, chances are pretty good that it's accurate.
I do like in Astrospheric that you can save multiple locations in your profile. I have several different locations that I travel to and the forecast can be different in them. I usually travel approx 50 miles either south or north of my home depending on targets so that 100-mile difference is huge.
Greg M.~ "Ad Astra per Aspera"
Scopes: Celestron EdgeHD14", Explore Scientific ED152CF & ED127 APO's, StellarVue SV70T, Classic Orange-Tube C-8, Lunt 80mm Ha double-stack solar scope.
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Re: Which Sky Prediction App Do You Use?

#10

Post by Gordon »


This is going to sound a bit "Lame" but I go outside and look.....

Where we live is pretty predictable and if there are NO clouds we are pretty sure it will stay that way. I don't leave my scope out unless I'm awake and keeping an eye on things.

So far I've only been surprised one time.....
Gordon
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED80CF, Skywatcher 200 Quattro Imaging Newt, SeeStar S50 for EAA.
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Re: Which Sky Prediction App Do You Use?

#11

Post by AstroBee »


Gordon wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 6:28 pm This is going to sound a bit "Lame" but I go outside and look.....
Gordon, you're retired and observe/image from your backyard. You have that luxury.
Some of us have to schedule time off work and travel to distant locations. It requires a bit of planning on our part.
One of these days when I grow up, I want to be just like you, rolloff in the backyard and just turn things on when the sun sets...
Greg M.~ "Ad Astra per Aspera"
Scopes: Celestron EdgeHD14", Explore Scientific ED152CF & ED127 APO's, StellarVue SV70T, Classic Orange-Tube C-8, Lunt 80mm Ha double-stack solar scope.
Mounts: Astro-Physics Mach One, iOptron CEM70EC Mount, iOptron ZEQ25 Mount.
Cameras: ZWO ASI2600mm Pro, ZWO 2600MC Pro, ZWO ASI1600mm
Filters: 36mm Chroma LRGB & 3nm Ha, OIII, SII, L-Pro, L-eXtreme
Eyepieces: 27mm TeleVue Panoptic, 4mm TeleVue Radian, Explore Scientific 82° 30mm, 6.7mm , Baader 13mm Hyperion, Explore Scientific 70° 10mm, 15mm, 20mm, Meade 8.8mm UWA
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Re: Which Sky Prediction App Do You Use?

#12

Post by Gordon »


AstroBee wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 7:05 pm
Gordon wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 6:28 pm This is going to sound a bit "Lame" but I go outside and look.....
Gordon, you're retired and observe/image from your backyard. You have that luxury.
Some of us have to schedule time off work and travel to distant locations. It requires a bit of planning on our part.
One of these days when I grow up, I want to be just like you, rolloff in the backyard and just turn things on when the sun sets...

I know..... It's really nice!!! :D :D :D
Gordon
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED80CF, Skywatcher 200 Quattro Imaging Newt, SeeStar S50 for EAA.
Mounts: Orion Atlas EQ-g mount & Skywatcher EQ5 Pro.
ZWO mini guider.
Image cameras: ZWO ASI1600 MM Cool, ZWO ASI533mc-Pro, ZWO ASI174mm-C (for use with my Quark chromosphere), ZWO ASI120MC
Filters: LRGB, Ha 7nm, O-III 7nm, S-II 7nm
Eyepieces: a few.
Primary software: Cartes du Ciel, N.I.N.A, StarTools V1.4.

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Re: Which Sky Prediction App Do You Use?

#13

Post by pakarinen »


Gordon wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 6:28 pm This is going to sound a bit "Lame" but I go outside and look.....
Low tech, but effective! I'm using the Windy app satellite view on my phone now so I don't have to get out of bed to look outside. And I set my phone to red when I go to bed so I don't blow my night vision.
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I drink tea, I read books, I look at stars when I'm not cursing clouds. It's what I do.
=============================================================================
AT50, AT72EDII, ST80, ST102; Scopetech Zero, AZ-GTi, AZ Pronto; Innorel RT90C, Oberwerk 5000; Orion Giantview 15x70s, Vortex 8x42s, Navy surplus 7x50s, Nikon 10x50s
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Re: Which Sky Prediction App Do You Use?

#14

Post by Butterfly Maiden »


I am slightly in Gordon's camp actually. Our astronomy is done from our home, where we have clear unlit skies.

Therefore we don't need to get a thorough weather forecast for travelling to other locations.

We may just check the BBC weather app from time to time, but we don't really plan too seriously our sessions.

I understand the need for other members to know the weather in advance when travelling to dark sites away from their homes though.
Vanessa

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