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| Twenty minutes later, compared to the photo below, these additional clouds formed. These clouds are timed to indicate they move at 1,000 mph. |
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| This is an extreme example of clouds with holes and cracks in the early morning - a time when observing the Sun is often ideal. Unfortunately this morning, the clouds remained in front of the Sun and it took another hour for the clouds to move. Taipei 101 at left. Captured through a closed window with iPhone 10. A haze covers everything due to air pollution and smog. |
When the weather's so quickly changeable, all efforts must be made to utilize every available opportunity to see the sky and observe the Sun, Moon or planets.
There's a spring season when the overcast and rain break up into clouds with cracks and spaces in between. This is the interim period before the skies briefly clear for a week or two and telescope fever sets in.
These fast changing clouds offer rich observing opportunities for the vigil and patient. Given the speed of cloud movement, there is usually a 20 minute opening. Even so, upper atmospheric haze is nearly always a contention and sky filtration with moisture and haze penetration is highly useful.
Update: Seasonal Variations
By the time Saturday morning, April 9th rolled around, the sky was totally clear and remained until 9:30 am when a few straggler clouds began moving in. It was a period of several hours to observe the planets, Venus, Saturn, Mars and then the Sun was in perfect position.
