Photography planning guide
Astrophotography Weather
Plan clear, dark, transparent nights using cloud, visibility, moon, Milky Way, and atmospheric clarity fields.
Planning goal
Avoid bright moonlight, haze, and cloud during the exact dark-sky window.
Start with the combined condition
First-pass shortlistBest first dark-sky check
Dark Sky Quality
proDark Sky Quality brings together night timing, moonlight, cloud cover, and clarity so astrophotography planning starts with the real shooting window, not just sunset time.
Open the Dark Sky Quality guide
What it combines
Use the score to shortlist hours, then check the ingredient fields for the reason behind the result.
Darkest period between astronomical dusk and dawn
Percentage of moon disc illuminated (0% = new, 100% = full)
Overall cloud coverage across all altitudes
Horizontal visibility distance
When Galactic Center or MW band is photographable
Signals worth waiting for
- Astronomical darkness during the hours you can shoot
- Low cloud cover across the whole night window
- Little or no moonlight when faint detail is the goal
- High clarity with low haze or smoke
- Milky Way altitude and direction that match your composition
Example alert rules
- Astronomical night + cloud cover low
- Moon illumination low + visibility high
- Milky Way visible + haze low
Supporting weather fields
28 weather fieldsAstronomical Night
Darkest period between astronomical dusk and dawn
Milky Way Visibility
When Galactic Center or MW band is photographable
Milky Way Altitude
Galactic Center elevation angle above horizon
Moon Illumination
Percentage of moon disc illuminated (0% = new, 100% = full)
Total Cloud Coverage
freeOverall cloud coverage across all altitudes
Visibility
freeHorizontal visibility distance
Aerosol Optical Depth (550nm)
proTotal aerosol optical depth at 550nm. Lower values indicate clearer skies and more vivid colours.
Ångström Exponent
proÅngström exponent (α) computed from AOD at 550nm and 865nm. Indicates aerosol particle size: higher values = smaller particles (pollution, smoke), lower values = larger particles (dust, sea salt).
Astronomical Twilight
Sun 12-18° below horizon
Aurora Activity
freeAurora geomagnetic activity score (0-100%) based on Kp index and geomagnetic latitude
Aurora Kp Index
freePredicted aurora Kp index for geomagnetic activity
Blue Hour
Deep blue sky after sunset/before sunrise
Civil Twilight
Sun 0-6° below horizon
Cloud Base Height
freeEstimated height of cloud base above ground level
Day/Night Period
Daylight period conditions (day/night)
Dust AOD (550nm)
proDust component of aerosol optical depth. High dust reduces air clarity and can create warm-toned haze.
Golden Hour
Golden hour periods with warm, soft light
High Clouds
freeCloud coverage above 6km altitude (cirrus)
Low Clouds
freeCloud coverage below 2km altitude
Mid-Level Clouds
freeCloud coverage between 2-6km altitude
Moon Altitude
Moon's elevation angle above horizon
Moon Azimuth
Moon's compass direction (0° = North, 180° = South)
Moon Phase
Specific moon phase requirements
Moon Visibility
Moon must be above the horizon
Nautical Twilight
Sun 6-12° below horizon
OVATION Aurora Probability
proReal-time NOAA OVATION Prime satellite aurora probability (0-100%). Available for near-term forecasts only (0-2 hours).
Sea Salt AOD (550nm)
proSea salt component of aerosol optical depth. Indicates marine aerosols from ocean spray, common in coastal areas.
Smoke AOD (550nm)
proSmoke component of aerosol optical depth (black carbon + organic matter). Indicates wildfire smoke or urban pollution affecting air quality and visibility.
Useful combinations
These are starting points for photographer-first alerts. Adjust thresholds for your location, season, subject, and safety margin.
Astronomical night + cloud cover
Check cloud during the dark window itself; a clear sunset does not guarantee a clear midnight sky.
Moon illumination + Milky Way altitude
A good Milky Way position is strongest when moonlight is low or timed outside your main exposure window.
Visibility + aerosol fields
Stars can look soft even under clear skies when smoke, dust, humidity, or haze reduces transparency.
Related alert templates
Use templates when you want a ready-made rule, then tune it for how strict you want the alert to be.
Create alerts for this shooting goal
Open the individual field guides above to see practical values, mistakes, limitations, and PhotoWeather rule examples.
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