RAO Web Cameras

Web Cameras

Below you will find access to our various webcams around the observatory. Drag the slider to view past images, or click the 'Play' button to see a timelapse starting at the current slider position. For more timelapse options, you can click the 'Cog' button. You can specify to either view the latest image (it will refresh automatically) or you can search for an archived image. The timelapse images run for the specified duration (with each frame lasting the specified interval) ending on the selected time.

AllSky

Weather

SMILE

No Image for 11:37 / 2026.01.24

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This is the current sky over the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory. The image is updated every minute. The AllSky camera is extremely light sensitive, so on clear days the Sun either creates an over exposed column of white light, or the whole image may become overexposed. At night when the clouds are away, planets, stars, constellations, and the Milky Way can be seen (even the Northern Lights! when they are active).

Each AllSky image is oriented such that North is to the right and West is on the bottom. The dome in the lower-left corner houses the KGMT telescope. Calgary is on the opposite side to the upper-right. The big dome at the top houses the A.R. Cross Telescope, and the Clark-Milone Telescope dome is on the right edge of the image. The point on the sky straight overhead (the Zenith) is directly in the middle of the image.

The darkest and most pristine skies can be seen opposite Calgary, towards the south and southwest. Even though a glow of light can be seen from the city at night, the RAO is still under dark skies, especially when the moon is below the horizon. The University of Calgary thanks residents of Foothills County for their efforts to keep their exterior lights pointed downward. The University is also working with the City and the Alberta government to minimize sky glow from the Alpine Park and the Southwest Ring Road developments.