Mauna Kea Sky Transparency from CFHT SkyProbe Data
Abstract
Nighttime sky transparency statistics on Mauna Kea are reported based on data from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope SkyProbe monitor. We focus on the period beginning with the start of MegaCam wide-field optical imager operations in 2003, and continuing for almost three years. Skies were clear enough to observe on 76% of those nights; attenuations were less than 0.2 magnitudes up to 60% of the time. An empirical model of cloud attenuation and duration is presented allowing us to further characterize the photometric conditions. This is a good fit tothe SkyProbe data, and indicates that Mauna Kea skies are truly photometric (without cloud) an average of 56% of the time, with moderate seasonal variation. Continuous monitoring of transparency during the night is necessary to overcome fluctuations in attenuation due to thin cloud.
Cite
@article{arxiv.0811.2448,
title = {Mauna Kea Sky Transparency from CFHT SkyProbe Data},
author = {Eric Steinbring and Jean-Charles Cuillandre and Eugene Magnier},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0811.2448},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
10 pages, 6 figures, submitted to PASP