Sky transparency — night of 2–3 September 2026

Cloud arrived at 03:46 — detected by the all-sky camera, independent of N.I.N.A. Before it the sky ran at index 100 (IQR 87–106); after it 58 (IQR 13–77). 62 of 79 light frames landed before the cloud. 11 of 12 failures are attributed to cloud, 1 to post-slew guide-star acquisition. Guiding ran at 0.85″ RMS before the cloud and 2.37″ after; the worst minute was 3.86″ at 02:07. The 04:42 autofocus run fitted its curve on almost no stars and should not be trusted. Morning sky flats: 60 frames (H 20, O 20, S 20), 06:30–06:35, auto-exposure 2.1–3.5 s.

Index before 03:46
100 · IQR 87–106
Index after 03:46
58 · IQR 13–77
Cloud onset (all-sky)
03:46 · independent
Errors after onset
11 of 12 · solve + PHD2
Guide RMS
1.02″ · RA 0.66 · Dec 0.77

Normalised transparency index, by filter

100 = that target and filter's own clear‑sky median (this night's own pre-cloud median). Shaded columns are autofocus runs; the first target is named at the top left and dashed vertical rules mark each target change; ticks along the base are errors.

H α O III S II ▲ Plate solve failed ◆ PHD2 error
05010015020021:0022:0023:0000:0001:0002:0003:0004:0005:0006:00% of clear-sky medianclear-sky baselineIC 4628→ NGC 2070SOH

All‑sky background brightness

Mean luminance of the upper sky per all‑sky still — independent of anything N.I.N.A. recorded. The camera auto‑exposes, so this is an instrumental number, not photometry.

025507510021:0022:0023:0000:0001:0002:0003:0004:0005:0006:00Mean sky luminance (0–255)all-sky

PHD2 guiding

RMS tracking error per minute from the PHD2 guide log, taken about zero rather than about each minute's mean, so slow drift counts as error. 3001 guide frames over 7.3 h of guiding in 18 sessions; the gaps are slews, dither settles and autofocus runs, when PHD2 was not guiding. PHD2 discarded 1227 further frames — usually a lost star. The worst minute (3.86″ at 02:07) is clamped at the top of the plot.

RA RMS Dec RMS ◆ PHD2 error
0.00.40.81.21.621:0022:0023:0000:0001:0002:0003:0004:0005:0006:00RMS guide error (arcsec)night RMS 1.02″DecRA

All‑sky frames at the key moments

Times come from the still filenames, so they line up with the charts exactly.

All-sky at 20:48
20:48 · start of night
All-sky at 03:46
03:46 · cloud onset
All-sky at 05:18
05:18 · peak brightness 87.6
All-sky at 06:13
06:13 · end of night

Clear‑sky reference medians

The divisors behind the index — median detected stars per light sub before 03:46.

TargetFilterMedian starsFramesSource
IC 4628H33212tonight, clear frames
IC 4628O7168tonight, clear frames
IC 4628S8728tonight, clear frames
NGC 2070H31012tonight, clear frames
NGC 2070O22812tonight, clear frames
NGC 2070S60210tonight, clear frames

Event timeline

Only the post-slew event predates the cloud — PHD2 failing to settle on a new guide star after a slew, not a sky problem.

dome refuseddome shutter ordered to open but the mount is unparkedunexplained
dome refuseddome shutter ordered to open but the mount is unparkedunexplained
dome refuseddome shutter ordered to open but the mount is unparkedunexplained
dome refuseddome shutter ordered to open but the mount is unparkedunexplained
dome refuseddome shutter ordered to open but the mount is unparkedunexplained
AF failedautofocus run started 23:44:22 did not completeunexplained
AF failedautofocus run started 23:51:14 did not completeunexplained
PHD2timed-out waiting for guider to settlepost_slew
solve failedASTAP plate solve failedcloud
solve failedASTAP plate solve failedcloud
solve failedASTAP plate solve failedcloud
solve failedASTAP plate solve failedcloud
AF rejectednew focus point HFR 2.0391256304903056 significantly worse than originalcloud
PHD2timed-out waiting for guider to settlecloud
PHD2timed-out waiting for guider to settlecloud
PHD2timed-out waiting for guider to settlecloud
solve failedASTAP plate solve failedcloud
solve failedASTAP plate solve failedcloud
AF failedautofocus run started 05:20:07 did not completecloud
PHD2timed-out waiting for guider to settlecloud
PHD2failed to find a suitable guide starcloud
All 272 frames (excludes the 60 sky flats — no stars to detect)
TimeClassTargetFilterExpStarsHFRIndex
20:48:39autofocusIC 4628L5s4694.17—
20:48:53autofocusIC 4628L5s7962.16—
20:49:08autofocusIC 4628L5s9062.02—
20:49:23autofocusIC 4628L5s7982.39—
20:49:38autofocusIC 4628L5s6292.95—
20:49:58autofocusIC 4628L5s4494.06—
20:50:18autofocusIC 4628L5s3415.06—
20:50:38autofocusIC 4628L5s5203.18—
20:50:53autofocusIC 4628L5s4153.99—
20:51:08autofocusIC 4628L5s3015.02—
20:51:28autofocusIC 4628L5s7381.86—
20:58:29lightIC 4628H300s3613.41109%
21:03:44lightIC 4628H300s3503.51105%
21:04:23autofocusIC 4628L5s8911.95—
21:04:43autofocusIC 4628L5s2865.51—
21:04:58autofocusIC 4628L5s3714.31—
21:05:13autofocusIC 4628L5s4763.26—
21:05:28autofocusIC 4628L5s6502.49—
21:05:48autofocusIC 4628L5s8901.95—
21:06:08autofocusIC 4628L5s8302.17—
21:06:28autofocusIC 4628L5s6862.77—
21:06:43autofocusIC 4628L5s4923.73—
21:06:58autofocusIC 4628L5s3874.53—
21:07:18autofocusIC 4628L5s8322.04—
21:13:09lightIC 4628H300s3323.56100%
21:18:24lightIC 4628H300s3443.45104%
21:24:03lightIC 4628O300s8293.73116%
21:29:35lightIC 4628O300s8673.58121%
21:35:09lightIC 4628O300s7034.1598%
21:35:48autofocusIC 4628L5s7112.29—
21:36:08autofocusIC 4628L5s2045.85—
21:36:23autofocusIC 4628L5s2724.71—
21:36:43autofocusIC 4628L5s3933.71—
21:37:03autofocusIC 4628L5s4713.03—
21:37:23autofocusIC 4628L5s6712.38—
21:37:43autofocusIC 4628L5s6912.40—
21:38:03autofocusIC 4628L5s5552.92—
21:38:23autofocusIC 4628L5s4483.58—
21:38:38autofocusIC 4628L5s3254.57—
21:38:58autofocusIC 4628L5s6802.32—
21:44:45lightIC 4628O300s6094.4985%
21:50:14lightIC 4628S300s6184.5371%
21:55:33lightIC 4628S300s7064.4181%
22:01:23lightIC 4628S300s8853.95101%
22:06:40lightIC 4628S300s9453.83108%
22:11:49lightIC 4628H300s3333.58100%
22:17:16lightIC 4628H300s3253.6298%
22:22:41lightIC 4628H300s2654.0280%
22:23:23autofocusIC 4628L5s6542.27—
22:23:43autofocusIC 4628L5s2126.66—
22:23:58autofocusIC 4628L5s2755.16—
22:24:13autofocusIC 4628L5s3384.00—
22:24:33autofocusIC 4628L5s4662.96—
22:24:53autofocusIC 4628L5s7272.06—
22:25:13autofocusIC 4628L5s7971.93—
22:25:33autofocusIC 4628L5s6552.43—
22:25:53autofocusIC 4628L5s5592.99—
22:26:08autofocusIC 4628L5s4094.04—
22:26:23autofocusIC 4628L5s3025.14—
22:26:43autofocusIC 4628L5s7302.06—
22:32:34lightIC 4628H300s3673.40111%
22:38:04lightIC 4628O300s7893.72110%
22:43:19lightIC 4628O300s7113.9099%
22:48:37lightIC 4628O300s7163.87100%
22:49:28autofocusIC 4628L5s6842.02—
22:49:43autofocusIC 4628L5s1945.91—
22:49:58autofocusIC 4628L5s2904.47—
22:50:13autofocusIC 4628L5s4093.16—
22:50:28autofocusIC 4628L5s5292.52—
22:50:48autofocusIC 4628L5s6642.08—
22:51:08autofocusIC 4628L5s6312.28—
22:51:28autofocusIC 4628L5s5342.73—
22:51:43autofocusIC 4628L5s4363.52—
22:51:58autofocusIC 4628L5s3294.70—
22:52:18autofocusIC 4628L5s6562.08—
22:58:06lightIC 4628O300s6923.8397%
23:03:38lightIC 4628S300s6733.8477%
23:04:13autofocusIC 4628L5s5702.23—
23:04:33autofocusIC 4628L5s1646.09—
23:04:48autofocusIC 4628L5s2814.50—
23:05:03autofocusIC 4628L5s3233.76—
23:05:18autofocusIC 4628L5s4542.73—
23:05:38autofocusIC 4628L5s5742.21—
23:05:58autofocusIC 4628L5s5982.19—
23:06:18autofocusIC 4628L5s5342.51—
23:06:38autofocusIC 4628L5s4293.42—
23:06:53autofocusIC 4628L5s3004.39—
23:07:08autofocusIC 4628L5s2355.25—
23:07:28autofocusIC 4628L5s5622.27—
23:13:16lightIC 4628S300s8903.69102%
23:18:35lightIC 4628S300s8723.74100%
23:23:55lightIC 4628S300s7774.0089%
23:24:28autofocusIC 4628L5s5802.11—
23:24:48autofocusIC 4628L5s2335.39—
23:25:03autofocusIC 4628L5s2804.25—
23:25:18autofocusIC 4628L5s3643.21—
23:25:38autofocusIC 4628L5s5182.30—
23:25:58autofocusIC 4628L5s5792.11—
23:26:18autofocusIC 4628L5s5332.45—
23:26:38autofocusIC 4628L5s4473.18—
23:26:53autofocusIC 4628L5s3453.94—
23:27:08autofocusIC 4628L5s2545.02—
23:27:28autofocusIC 4628L5s6152.04—
23:33:18lightIC 4628H300s3113.6094%
23:38:34lightIC 4628H300s2773.8483%
23:44:06lightIC 4628H300s2863.7586%
23:50:45lightIC 4628H300s2633.9879%
23:51:38centeringIC 4628L5s4972.23—
23:51:58centeringIC 4628L5s1596.13—
23:52:18centeringIC 4628L5s1864.80—
23:52:33centeringIC 4628L5s2913.75—
23:52:48centeringIC 4628L5s3702.85—
00:11:33autofocusNGC 2070L5s4502.07—
00:11:48autofocusNGC 2070L5s1225.05—
00:12:03autofocusNGC 2070L5s1883.71—
00:12:18autofocusNGC 2070L5s3002.70—
00:12:33autofocusNGC 2070L5s4312.11—
00:12:53autofocusNGC 2070L5s4732.06—
00:13:13autofocusNGC 2070L5s3302.63—
00:13:33autofocusNGC 2070L5s2713.13—
00:13:53autofocusNGC 2070L5s1694.23—
00:14:13autofocusNGC 2070L5s1335.18—
00:14:33autofocusNGC 2070L5s3922.22—
00:22:15lightNGC 2070H300s2563.9683%
00:27:32lightNGC 2070H300s2903.8294%
00:32:52lightNGC 2070H300s3243.61105%
00:33:33autofocusNGC 2070L5s4092.19—
00:33:53autofocusNGC 2070L5s1045.92—
00:34:08autofocusNGC 2070L5s1494.44—
00:34:23autofocusNGC 2070L5s2163.46—
00:34:38autofocusNGC 2070L5s3262.52—
00:34:58autofocusNGC 2070L5s4592.04—
00:35:18autofocusNGC 2070L5s4752.03—
00:35:38autofocusNGC 2070L5s3412.54—
00:35:58autofocusNGC 2070L5s2313.40—
00:36:13autofocusNGC 2070L5s1284.73—
00:36:28autofocusNGC 2070L5s1125.63—
00:36:48autofocusNGC 2070L5s4482.03—
00:42:41lightNGC 2070H300s3063.7199%
00:48:16lightNGC 2070O300s3073.81135%
00:54:16lightNGC 2070O300s2574.12113%
00:59:42lightNGC 2070O300s2993.87131%
01:05:13lightNGC 2070O300s3103.76136%
01:10:47lightNGC 2070S300s6023.61100%
01:11:18autofocusNGC 2070L5s4542.09—
01:11:33autofocusNGC 2070L5s1025.67—
01:11:48autofocusNGC 2070L5s1644.23—
01:12:03autofocusNGC 2070L5s2383.10—
01:12:18autofocusNGC 2070L5s4092.25—
01:12:38autofocusNGC 2070L5s5211.95—
01:12:58autofocusNGC 2070L5s4482.20—
01:13:18autofocusNGC 2070L5s3402.68—
01:13:33autofocusNGC 2070L5s2153.73—
01:13:48autofocusNGC 2070L5s1354.90—
01:14:08autofocusNGC 2070L5s4692.03—
01:19:56lightNGC 2070S300s6693.40111%
01:25:14lightNGC 2070S300s5793.7396%
01:30:35lightNGC 2070S300s6183.56103%
01:35:49lightNGC 2070H300s3253.59105%
01:41:06lightNGC 2070H300s3533.48114%
01:46:25lightNGC 2070H300s3323.60107%
01:51:44lightNGC 2070H300s3093.77100%
01:56:55lightNGC 2070O300s2274.47100%
02:01:56lightNGC 2070O300s3043.85133%
02:06:57lightNGC 2070O300s2284.46100%
02:11:58lightNGC 2070O300s1944.6285%
02:13:33autofocusNGC 2070L5s5062.09—
02:13:48autofocusNGC 2070L5s1016.17—
02:14:03autofocusNGC 2070L5s1694.65—
02:14:18autofocusNGC 2070L5s2003.73—
02:14:33autofocusNGC 2070L5s3252.66—
02:14:53autofocusNGC 2070L5s4972.10—
02:15:13autofocusNGC 2070L5s4442.27—
02:15:33autofocusNGC 2070L5s3972.53—
02:15:48autofocusNGC 2070L5s2623.47—
02:16:08autofocusNGC 2070L5s1624.52—
02:16:28autofocusNGC 2070L5s4752.22—
02:22:18lightNGC 2070S300s4874.2381%
02:27:39lightNGC 2070S300s5244.0787%
02:33:00lightNGC 2070S300s6173.75102%
02:38:16lightNGC 2070S300s6473.62107%
02:43:29lightNGC 2070H300s3103.83100%
02:48:45lightNGC 2070H300s3163.74102%
02:54:03lightNGC 2070H300s3003.8897%
02:59:53lightNGC 2070H300s2454.1679%
03:05:04lightNGC 2070O300s1515.1366%
03:10:06lightNGC 2070O300s1814.7979%
03:15:07lightNGC 2070O300s2074.4591%
03:20:08lightNGC 2070O300s2134.4393%
03:25:20lightNGC 2070S300s3664.7661%
03:30:21autofocusNGC 2070S300s2455.01—
03:30:38autofocusNGC 2070L5s3622.55—
03:30:58autofocusNGC 2070L5s736.42—
03:31:13autofocusNGC 2070L5s1114.97—
03:31:28autofocusNGC 2070L5s1434.24—
03:31:43autofocusNGC 2070L5s2812.97—
03:32:03autofocusNGC 2070L5s4042.48—
03:32:23autofocusNGC 2070L5s4892.23—
03:32:43autofocusNGC 2070L5s3912.60—
03:33:03autofocusNGC 2070L5s2783.46—
03:33:18autofocusNGC 2070L5s1864.36—
03:33:38autofocusNGC 2070L5s1395.22—
03:33:58autofocusNGC 2070L5s5312.09—
03:39:46lightNGC 2070S300s5324.0588%
03:46:40lightNGC 2070S300s4733.8879%
03:51:49lightNGC 2070H300s2173.7770%
03:56:51lightNGC 2070H300s3053.5998%
04:01:52lightNGC 2070H300s414.2313%
04:06:53lightNGC 2070H300s394.1313%
04:12:05lightNGC 2070O300s1333.6958%
04:17:06lightNGC 2070O300s2253.8799%
04:22:07lightNGC 2070O300s1694.2074%
04:27:08lightNGC 2070O300s773.9734%
04:32:19lightNGC 2070S300s2443.6941%
04:37:20lightNGC 2070S300s00.000%
04:42:21autofocusNGC 2070S300s00.00—
04:42:38autofocusNGC 2070L5s31.75—
04:42:53autofocusNGC 2070L5s00.00—
04:43:08autofocusNGC 2070L5s00.00—
04:43:23autofocusNGC 2070L5s00.00—
04:43:38autofocusNGC 2070L5s42.18—
04:43:58autofocusNGC 2070L5s281.89—
04:44:18autofocusNGC 2070L5s62.04—
04:44:38autofocusNGC 2070L5s32.80—
04:44:58autofocusNGC 2070L5s33.73—
04:45:18autofocusNGC 2070L5s244.55—
04:45:38autofocusNGC 2070L5s66.96—
04:45:58autofocusNGC 2070L5s10.00—
04:46:13autofocusNGC 2070L5s169.15—
04:46:33autofocusNGC 2070L5s2172.04—
04:46:58autofocusNGC 2070L5s446.60—
04:47:13autofocusNGC 2070L5s504.95—
04:47:33autofocusNGC 2070L5s1123.67—
04:47:48autofocusNGC 2070L5s1752.84—
04:48:08autofocusNGC 2070L5s3032.09—
04:48:28autofocusNGC 2070L5s3581.87—
04:48:48autofocusNGC 2070L5s2622.31—
04:49:08autofocusNGC 2070L5s1693.25—
04:49:23autofocusNGC 2070L5s1294.21—
04:49:38autofocusNGC 2070L5s855.30—
04:49:58autofocusNGC 2070L5s3351.96—
04:56:10lightNGC 2070S300s3854.0664%
05:03:51lightNGC 2070H300s2473.7580%
05:08:53lightNGC 2070H300s2323.8075%
05:14:58lightNGC 2070H300s63.902%
05:19:59lightNGC 2070H300s383.6112%
05:20:28centeringNGC 2070L5s00.00—
05:20:48centeringNGC 2070L5s00.00—
05:21:03centeringNGC 2070L5s00.00—
05:21:18centeringNGC 2070L5s00.00—
05:21:33centeringNGC 2070L5s00.00—
05:22:03centeringNGC 2070L5s111.92—
05:22:23centeringNGC 2070L5s00.00—
05:22:43centeringNGC 2070L5s10.00—
05:23:03centeringNGC 2070L5s00.00—
05:23:23centeringNGC 2070L5s224.96—
05:23:43centeringNGC 2070L5s466.10—
05:24:03centeringNGC 2070L5s267.50—
05:24:23centeringNGC 2070L5s00.00—
05:31:09autofocusNGC 2070O300s1644.29—
05:31:28autofocusNGC 2070L5s3592.02—
05:31:48autofocusNGC 2070L5s855.85—
05:32:08autofocusNGC 2070L5s1443.92—
05:32:23autofocusNGC 2070L5s2043.08—
05:32:38autofocusNGC 2070L5s2822.37—
05:32:58autofocusNGC 2070L5s3292.21—
05:33:18autofocusNGC 2070L5s3192.28—
05:33:38autofocusNGC 2070L5s2252.98—
05:33:58autofocusNGC 2070L5s1253.82—
05:34:13autofocusNGC 2070L5s1204.76—
05:34:33autofocusNGC 2070L5s2632.01—
05:40:44lightNGC 2070O300s585.0925%

Star counts come from Hocus Focus detection on each saved sub, tagged with the filter in place at exposure start and the target then being imaged. Frames inside completed autofocus runs are excluded. Still capture times come from the AllSky filenames. All times are local.