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Tonight · Sat, 10 October 2026

Grand Junction stargazing forecast tonight

Hourly clear-sky conditions for observing: cloud by layer, transparency, estimated seeing, moonlight and true astronomical darkness.

39.064°N 108.551°W ·1403 m ·Colorado, United States

NearbyArches National ParkCanyonlands National ParkNatural Bridges National MonumentDurangoMore nearby
7
/100
Not worth it conditions
at peak

Cloud or fog is the strongest score limit at the best sampled time.

Site darkness · peer measure
Brightened skyNot multiplied into the conditions score
19.8–20.5 mag/arcsec²

The score describes tonight’s conditions. Site darkness helps you choose what to observe.

See target outlook ↓Planet observing times →
Best months at Grand Junction, Colorado →Moonless nights →
Tonight in context · local sky & season

October historically: 13.7 qualifying nights/month on average (2005–2024). Regional cloud and darkness history, not tonight’s probability or a comparison with the conditions score.

A qualifying historical night has at least 3 hours of astronomical darkness and mean nighttime cloud ≤30%. This does not measure steady air or target visibility. Seasonal history →

Saturn: about 8.7h above 20° during this observing night’s darkness. Longest sampled dark-time opportunity among our four planet targets; not a weather ranking. Planet times →

Position calculations use roughly 20-minute samples. Clouds, skyglow and local obstructions still matter. Milky Way timing →

Best window
None tonight
Window quality
—
Astronomical dark
21:00 – 06:00
Moon
New moon, 1%
Transparency at peak
0.10
Seeing at peak (est.)
0.87
Visual limit (modelled)
4.0–5.5 mag
Tonight's limiting factor
Thin high cloud

99% high cirrus. Visual observers shrug it off; long exposures integrate it. What this means →

Also limiting: Transparency. See the guide →

The night, hour by hour

Colour = score · Luminance = everything else
Sky state
Shaded = daylight and twilight  ·  unshaded = astronomical dark
7
7
4
3
4
3
4
2
7
5
4
Score
Low cloud
0%
1%
2%
2%
7%
6%
13%
13%
37%
13%
10%
9%
10%
Mid cloud
84%
74%
85%
95%
98%
97%
98%
94%
98%
81%
89%
96%
92%
High cloud
98%
99%
98%
98%
98%
98%
96%
100%
98%
91%
87%
81%
77%
Transparency
0.10
0.10
0.10
0.10
0.22
0.28
0.10
0.10
0.10
0.10
0.10
0.14
0.19
Seeing
0.73
0.87
0.83
0.84
0.78
0.79
0.78
0.70
0.70
0.66
0.69
0.74
0.76
Moon clear
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
19
20
21
22
23
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
Inspect

Cloud tracks show clear sky — a longer bar is better. The figure inside each track is the raw measurement.

Score inspectorWhy this hour scored what it did Open peakClose
20 Not worth it · 7/100
Starting from
100
Cloud
−85
Transparency
−5
Seeing
−0
Moonlight
−0
Darkness
−2
Score
7
CLOUD 99% LOW 1% MID 74% HIGH 99% SUN -15.6° MOON -15.8° / 0% WIND 3 TEMP 15°
Excellent 75+ Good 55+ Fair 35+ Poor 15+ Not worth it Seeing is estimated from surface wind — see how we score.
Tonight is for planning

The sky is staying closed.

None of the five observing modes reaches a reliable setup window. Skip the empty charts and use tonight to make the next clear session easier.

Cloud stays at 96% or moreTransparency peaks at 0.10
Make the next clear night easier

Three useful moves, no dead chart.

The forecast detail above remains available when you need the measurements. These are the useful next decisions.

Scan the next seven nights → Read cloud by layer → Use tonight for equipment prep →
Remember what you observe

Your target still carries into clear-night recommendations and future alert rules.

Deep-sky visual is your current default.

A darker option

Arches National Park

97 km away · Natural-dark sky · 21.8–21.9 mag/arcsec²

8conditions tonight
See the trade-off →

The next week of nights

Tonight · 10 Oct
7
Not worth it

Cloud or fog is the strongest score limit at the best sampled time.

MOON 1%
Tomorrow · 11 Oct
57
Good
MOON 3%
23:00–07:00
Monday · 12 Oct
69
Good
MOON 7%
21:00–01:00
Tuesday · 13 Oct
36
Fair
MOON 13%
00:00–01:00
Wednesday · 14 Oct
34
Poor

Cloud or fog is the strongest score limit at the best sampled time.

MOON 21%
Thursday · 15 Oct
65
Good
MOON 29%
00:00–01:00
Friday · 16 Oct
5
Not worth it

Cloud or fog is the strongest score limit at the best sampled time.

MOON 37%

Open a night for its forecast times. Later forecasts may have wider time steps; missing hours are not interpolated.

Tonight · 10 Oct · forecast times
Sky state
Shaded = daylight and twilight  ·  unshaded = astronomical dark
7
7
4
3
4
3
4
2
7
5
4
Score
Low cloud
0%
1%
2%
2%
7%
6%
13%
13%
37%
13%
10%
9%
10%
Mid cloud
84%
74%
85%
95%
98%
97%
98%
94%
98%
81%
89%
96%
92%
High cloud
98%
99%
98%
98%
98%
98%
96%
100%
98%
91%
87%
81%
77%
Transparency
0.10
0.10
0.10
0.10
0.22
0.28
0.10
0.10
0.10
0.10
0.10
0.14
0.19
Seeing
0.73
0.87
0.83
0.84
0.78
0.79
0.78
0.70
0.70
0.66
0.69
0.74
0.76
Moon clear
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
19
20
21
22
23
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07

Cloud tracks show clear sky — a longer bar is better. The figure inside each track is the raw measurement.

Tomorrow · 11 Oct · forecast times
Sky state
Shaded = daylight and twilight  ·  unshaded = astronomical dark
55
53
19
57
56
47
46
53
54
44
39
Score
Low cloud
8%
3%
2%
7%
8%
13%
31%
35%
26%
24%
37%
35%
29%
Mid cloud
9%
4%
7%
68%
10%
6%
5%
1%
1%
0%
0%
0%
10%
High cloud
2%
1%
3%
14%
1%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
Transparency
0.57
0.52
0.14
0.13
0.39
0.43
0.47
0.46
0.46
0.42
0.41
0.39
0.37
Seeing
0.60
0.52
0.55
0.58
0.59
0.56
0.57
0.64
0.69
0.70
0.71
0.75
0.77
Moon clear
3%
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
down
19
20
21
22
23
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07

Cloud tracks show clear sky — a longer bar is better. The figure inside each track is the raw measurement.

Monday · 12 Oct · forecast times
Sky state
Shaded = daylight and twilight  ·  unshaded = astronomical dark
59
67
69
63
61
36
Score
Low cloud
4%
2%
1%
3%
6%
2%
31%
5%
Mid cloud
5%
4%
9%
4%
6%
11%
11%
65%
High cloud
0%
0%
2%
1%
2%
0%
1%
5%
Transparency
0.32
0.42
0.53
0.52
0.48
0.41
0.13
0.91
Seeing
0.94
0.85
0.66
0.66
0.64
0.63
1.00
0.72
Moon clear
7%
down
down
down
down
down
down
10%
19
20
21
22
23
00
06
12

Cloud tracks show clear sky — a longer bar is better. The figure inside each track is the raw measurement.

Tuesday · 13 Oct · forecast times
Sky state
Shaded = daylight and twilight  ·  unshaded = astronomical dark
36
25
Score
Low cloud
68%
36%
20%
18%
Mid cloud
40%
13%
51%
35%
High cloud
5%
0%
0%
1%
Transparency
0.19
0.10
0.10
0.42
Seeing
0.79
1.00
1.00
1.00
Moon clear
12%
down
down
17%
18
00
06
12

Cloud tracks show clear sky — a longer bar is better. The figure inside each track is the raw measurement.

Wednesday · 14 Oct · forecast times
Sky state
Shaded = daylight and twilight  ·  unshaded = astronomical dark
16
34
Score
Low cloud
7%
18%
18%
2%
Mid cloud
99%
73%
35%
9%
High cloud
54%
17%
2%
2%
Transparency
0.12
0.10
0.16
0.59
Seeing
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
Moon clear
19%
down
down
down
18
00
06
12

Cloud tracks show clear sky — a longer bar is better. The figure inside each track is the raw measurement.

Thursday · 15 Oct · forecast times
Sky state
Shaded = daylight and twilight  ·  unshaded = astronomical dark
65
19
Score
Low cloud
0%
0%
2%
1%
Mid cloud
5%
7%
45%
48%
High cloud
0%
11%
95%
74%
Transparency
0.66
0.34
0.27
0.75
Seeing
0.87
1.00
1.00
0.83
Moon clear
27%
down
down
down
18
00
06
12

Cloud tracks show clear sky — a longer bar is better. The figure inside each track is the raw measurement.

Friday · 16 Oct · forecast times
Sky state
Shaded = daylight and twilight  ·  unshaded = astronomical dark
5
4
Score
Low cloud
4%
11%
16%
13%
Mid cloud
69%
90%
93%
73%
High cloud
98%
99%
98%
84%
Transparency
0.23
0.10
0.10
0.59
Seeing
0.96
1.00
1.00
0.85
Moon clear
35%
down
down
down
18
00
06
12

Cloud tracks show clear sky — a longer bar is better. The figure inside each track is the raw measurement.

Planning a trip?

Compare the next eight weekends → · Best months to visit → · Moonless nights →

More nearby locations 5 options · openclose

About this forecast

Exact-coordinate weather, sky geometry and site context.

Full method →20-year baseline →
Sources and scoring details openclose

Conditions for Grand Junction, Colorado, United States are computed from the MET Norway forecast model for these exact coordinates, combined with sun and moon positions we calculate directly. The score weighs cloud cover by layer, atmospheric transparency, estimated seeing, moonlight and astronomical twilight. Site darkness is shown separately, then used only where artificial skyglow physically changes moon contrast, haze scattering, visual limits and target suitability.