{ "$schema": "https://ontarionightsky.com/schemas/near-snapshot.v1.json", "version": "1.0", "generatedAt": "2026-08-15T02:05:10.269Z", "snapshotMeta": { "schemaVersion": "1.0", "tieBreakVersion": "2.0.0", "metricsVersion": "1.2.0", "ladder": [ "verdictRank (desc)", "windowHours (desc)", "windowMeanCloudPct (asc)", "tonightMinCloudPct (asc)", "tonightMeanCloudPct (asc)", "bortle (asc — darker wins)", "distanceKm (asc)" ], "changelog": [ { "version": "1.2.0", "date": "2026-04-26", "type": "metrics", "summary": "Added `tieBreakComparisons[]` to each item: per-step a/b values, equality flag, winner, and `decidedBy` marker for the rule that broke the tie." }, { "version": "2.0.0", "date": "2026-04-26", "type": "tieBreak", "summary": "Replaced verdict+distance-only ranking with 7-level ladder (verdict, window length, window cloud, min/mean cloud, bortle, distance)." }, { "version": "1.1.0", "date": "2026-04-26", "type": "metrics", "summary": "Added per-site `tieBreak` block (windowHours, windowMeanCloudPct, tonightMinCloudPct, tonightMeanCloudPct, bortle) for transparency." }, { "version": "1.0.0", "date": "2026-04-25", "type": "schema", "summary": "Initial near-snapshot.v1 schema with bestTonight + closestSites[]." } ], "docs": "https://ontarionightsky.com/llms.txt" }, "city": { "id": "hamilton", "name": "Hamilton", "region": "Golden Horseshoe, ON", "lat": 43.2557, "lon": -79.8711, "population": 569000 }, "page": { "url": "https://ontarionightsky.com/near/hamilton/", "html": "https://ontarionightsky.com/near/hamilton/", "json": "https://ontarionightsky.com/near/hamilton/snapshot.json" }, "tieBreakLadder": [ "verdictRank (desc)", "windowHours (desc)", "windowMeanCloudPct (asc)", "tonightMinCloudPct (asc)", "tonightMeanCloudPct (asc)", "bortle (asc — darker wins)", "distanceKm (asc)" ], "bestTonight": { "siteId": "torrance-barrens", "name": "Torrance Barrens", "distanceKm": 189.8, "bortle": 3, "url": "https://ontarionightsky.com/site/torrance-barrens/", "forecastUrl": "https://ontarionightsky.com/?site=torrance-barrens", "tonight": { "date": "2026-08-14T20:25", "nightStartIso": "2026-08-14T20:25", "nightEndIso": "2026-08-15T06:20", "moonPhase": "New moon", "moonIlluminationPct": 2, "verdict": "Excellent", "verdictReason": "8h of clear sky (≤30% cloud) during tonight's astronomical night, mean cloud 14%.", "confidence": "High", "meanCloudPct": 14, "minCloudPct": 0, "bestWindow": { "startIso": "2026-08-14T21:00:00.000Z", "endIso": "2026-08-15T04:00:00.000Z", "hours": 8, "meanCloudPct": 1 } }, "tieBreak": { "verdict": "Excellent", "verdictRank": 5, "windowHours": 8, "windowMeanCloudPct": 1, "tonightMinCloudPct": 0, "tonightMeanCloudPct": 14, "bortle": 3, "distanceKm": 189.8 }, "tieBreakComparisons": [ { "vsSiteId": "binbrook", "vsName": "Binbrook", "steps": [ { "field": "verdictRank", "direction": "desc", "a": 5, "b": 5, "equal": true, "winner": null, "decidedBy": false }, { "field": "windowHours", "direction": "desc", "a": 8, "b": 6, "equal": false, "winner": "a", "decidedBy": true }, { "field": "windowMeanCloudPct", "direction": "asc", "a": 1, "b": 4, "equal": false, "winner": "a", "decidedBy": false }, { "field": "tonightMinCloudPct", "direction": "asc", "a": 0, "b": 0, "equal": true, "winner": null, "decidedBy": false }, { "field": "tonightMeanCloudPct", "direction": "asc", "a": 14, "b": 19, "equal": false, "winner": "a", "decidedBy": false }, { "field": "bortle", "direction": "asc", "a": 3, "b": 5, "equal": false, "winner": "a", "decidedBy": false }, { "field": "distanceKm", "direction": "asc", "a": 189.8, "b": 16.5, "equal": false, "winner": "b", "decidedBy": false } ] }, { "vsSiteId": "long-sault", "vsName": "Long Sault", "steps": [ { "field": "verdictRank", "direction": "desc", "a": 5, "b": 3, "equal": false, "winner": "a", "decidedBy": true }, { "field": "windowHours", "direction": "desc", "a": 8, "b": 3, "equal": false, "winner": "a", "decidedBy": false }, { "field": "windowMeanCloudPct", "direction": "asc", "a": 1, "b": 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"asc", "a": 0, "b": 0, "equal": true, "winner": null, "decidedBy": false }, { "field": "tonightMeanCloudPct", "direction": "asc", "a": 14, "b": 49, "equal": false, "winner": "a", "decidedBy": false }, { "field": "bortle", "direction": "asc", "a": 3, "b": 4, "equal": false, "winner": "a", "decidedBy": false }, { "field": "distanceKm", "direction": "asc", "a": 189.8, "b": 158.9, "equal": false, "winner": "b", "decidedBy": false } ] } ] }, "closestSites": [ { "rank": 1, "siteId": "binbrook", "name": "Binbrook", "region": "Hamilton, ON", "bortle": 5, "lat": 43.1167, "lon": -79.8, "distanceKm": 16.5, "url": "https://ontarionightsky.com/site/binbrook/", "forecastUrl": "https://ontarionightsky.com/?site=binbrook", "snapshotUrl": "https://ontarionightsky.com/sites/binbrook.snapshot.json", "tonight": { "date": "2026-08-14T20:23", "nightStartIso": "2026-08-14T20:23", "nightEndIso": "2026-08-15T06:25", "moonPhase": "New moon", "moonIlluminationPct": 2, "verdict": "Excellent", "verdictReason": "6h 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"b": 16.5, "equal": false, "winner": "b", "decidedBy": false } ] }, { "vsSiteId": "long-sault", "vsName": "Long Sault", "steps": [ { "field": "verdictRank", "direction": "desc", "a": 4, "b": 3, "equal": false, "winner": "a", "decidedBy": true }, { "field": "windowHours", "direction": "desc", "a": 4, "b": 3, "equal": false, "winner": "a", "decidedBy": false }, { "field": "windowMeanCloudPct", "direction": "asc", "a": 8, "b": 19, "equal": false, "winner": "a", "decidedBy": false }, { "field": "tonightMinCloudPct", "direction": "asc", "a": 0, "b": 17, "equal": false, "winner": "a", "decidedBy": false }, { "field": "tonightMeanCloudPct", "direction": "asc", "a": 49, "b": 57, "equal": false, "winner": "a", "decidedBy": false }, { "field": "bortle", "direction": "asc", "a": 4, "b": 4, "equal": true, "winner": null, "decidedBy": false }, { "field": "distanceKm", "direction": "asc", "a": 158.9, "b": 125.7, "equal": false, "winner": "b", "decidedBy": false } ] }, { "vsSiteId": 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