Mills Observatory Weather Tracker: 5-10 October 2026
Mills Observatory is heading into its first full week of Season 91 – and one night in particular is looking promising for stargazing!
Dundee Culture’s latest weekly weather tracker shows a fairly mixed outlook for the week ahead, with partly cloudy conditions expected on several evenings.
But Wednesday 7 October is currently the one to watch, with clear skies forecast over Dundee and temperatures of around 9°C.
Thursday currently looks like the most challenging night of the week, with cloud and a chance of showers expected.
Here is the forecast for 5–10 October
Monday 5 October
🟡 FAIR | Partly cloudy | 12°C
The first full week of Season 91 begins with partly cloudy conditions over Dundee.
There could be breaks in the cloud offering opportunities for stargazing from Mills Observatory, although conditions are expected to remain mixed.
Monday currently receives a FAIR stargazing outlook.
Tuesday 6 October
🟡 FAIR | Partly cloudy | 11°C
Tuesday is looking very similar, with partly cloudy skies forecast and temperatures of around 11°C.
Clearer intervals could still provide opportunities to look through the telescope between passing cloud.
Tuesday also receives a FAIR outlook.
Wednesday 7 October
🟢 GOOD | Clear | 9°C
Wednesday currently looks like the best night of the week for stargazing at Mills Observatory.
Clear skies are forecast over Dundee, with temperatures dropping to around 9°C.
If the current forecast holds, Wednesday could provide some of the most promising conditions of Season 91 so far for observing the night sky.
Dundee Culture is giving Wednesday a GOOD stargazing outlook.
Thursday 8 October
🔴 POOR | Cloudy with chance of showers | 9°C
Things take a turn on Thursday, with cloudier conditions and a chance of showers currently expected.
The amount of cloud could significantly restrict opportunities for telescope viewing, particularly compared with the clearer conditions forecast the previous evening.
Thursday therefore receives a POOR stargazing outlook.
Friday 9 October
🟡 FAIR | Partly cloudy | 10°C
There could be some improvement heading into Friday, with partly cloudy conditions returning.
There may be opportunities for stargazing during clearer spells, although cloud is still expected to be around throughout the evening.
Friday receives a FAIR outlook.
Saturday 10 October
🟡 FAIR | Partly cloudy | 11°C
The first full week of Season 91 ends with another partly cloudy evening.
Conditions could offer some opportunities for telescope viewing between the clouds, with temperatures of around 11°C currently forecast.
Saturday receives a FAIR stargazing outlook.
What do the ratings mean?
Throughout Season 91, Dundee Culture is using four simple ratings to give visitors an indication of expected observing conditions at Mills.
🟢 GOOD – Clear or mostly clear conditions are expected for a significant part of the evening, providing promising prospects for stargazing.
🟡 FAIR – A mixture of clear spells and cloud is expected, with some opportunities for telescope viewing possible between the clouds.
🟠 MODERATE – Cloud is expected to dominate, although occasional breaks could provide limited opportunities for observing.
🔴 POOR – Predominantly cloudy or overcast conditions are expected, meaning telescope viewing is likely to be severely limited.
The ratings relate specifically to stargazing conditions and aren’t a rating of whether Mills Observatory itself is worth visiting. There’s still plenty to discover inside the observatory when Dundee’s weather doesn’t cooperate!
Wednesday is the one to watch
For the week ahead, Wednesday 7 October currently offers the strongest prospect of clear skies, while Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday could still provide opportunities between the clouds.
The forecast will inevitably continue to develop as the week progresses, so conditions may change.
Dundee Culture’s Mills Observatory Weather Tracker is published every Sunday throughout Season 91, looking ahead to conditions during the observatory’s Monday to Saturday opening days.
All forecasts are based on the latest information available from the Met Office / MSN Weather at the time of publication. Weather conditions can change quickly and telescope observations at Mills Observatory can never be guaranteed. Dundee Culture recommends keeping an eye on the weather additionally on the day before you plan to go just in case!
Remember, Mills Observatory is free to visit and there is no general booking system – simply turn up during opening hours. Donations are welcome.
For now, Wednesday could be the night to look up! 🔭🌙
