Jay, thank you for keeping us informed on this. It doesn't look good for Saturday night, but we can never know for certain this far out. -- Joe --- On Thu, 3/3/11, Jay Eads <jayleads@gmail.com> wrote:
From: Jay Eads <jayleads@gmail.com> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Weather for Saturday To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Thursday, March 3, 2011, 10:12 PM I haven't forgotten but I am starting to see conflicting data right now. Clear Sky Clock for Great Basin is showing through Saturday morning early really good viewing conditions. http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/GrtBsnNPkNVkey.html?1
The National Weather service at http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=39.0132801&lon=-114.1227695&sit... is calling for cloudy skies in that part of Nevada.
AccuWeather's Astronomy forecast is saying mostly cloudy at http://www.accuweather.com/us/nv/baker/89311/outdoor-astronomy.asp and their regular forecast for that night is also saying mostly cloudy http://www.accuweather.com/us/nv/baker/89311/forecast-details.asp?fday=3.
SkippySky is showing that the cloud cover will be 90% or better over Utah and Great Basin for Saturday night: http://www.skippysky.com.au/NorthAmerica/
The Jet Stream is parked over us http://squall.sfsu.edu/gif/jetstream_pac_init_00.gif and combine that with what you can see in the GOES West until the terminator darkens out the image (kinda of cool I think) http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/data/west/animation/goeswestvis.html it just isn't looking too promising.
I'll look at all this again tomorrow night and then again on Saturday morning to make a final decision. Perhaps Kelly can offer some insight but I'm sure the satellite image will be the tell tale. I want to go so badly and want a great night under the stars at an excellent dark site but the weather, man, have to love Utah in the winter and spring eh? Watch, full moon week will be totally clear, warm and beautiful! Based on the weather there should be a lot of new astro equipment in the state this summer.
I am going to be much like one of my heroes, E.E. Barnard, who "Historian Donald Osterbrock called him (E.E. Barnard) an "observe-aholic," because Barnard, happiest when he could spend all night observing, was moody and difficult when the sky was cloudy." Taken from PBS.org, Meet the Star gazers. Let me tell you despite having taken up painting in watercolor and oils (finding I like watercolors), and getting back into lap swimming and lifting weights, I am getting very moody and difficult. More so than normal. My family is begging me to get out!
-- Jay Eads _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com