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My First Cloud Observation with the GLOBE Observer App

The Struggle of Getting Started

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Barbie Buckner
Published DatePosted 7/10/24 8:08 PM - 1739 Views

Background

I received my formal training on GLOBE Atmosphere protocols, particularly cloud observation, in the summer of 2011. In 2016, the GLOBE Program launched the GLOBE Observer (GO) app, designed for volunteer science. The GO app is more user-friendly and focuses on specific observations anyone with a smartphone can make.

The GLOBE Program is structured and education-focused, targeting students and educators, while the GO app is intuitive and accessible to the general public. Both contribute valuable data to the scientific community and enhance public understanding of environmental science. I've found the step-by-step training that is built into the GO app extremely easy to follow and always available for a quick reference when needed.

My First Observation

Armed with my previous training in GLOBE cloud protocol, I set out to make my first observation with the GO app. However, I hesitated. I wanted my observation to be perfect, and I struggled to find the ideal view. First, I was waiting for the clouds to be just right (whatever that really means).  Then I realized that outside my condo, buildings were obstructed the view in some of the directions I needed to take photos.

So, I thought the baseball field would be perfect, but I quickly realized that even though there was an open view there were many people and cars around me. I soon realized that I didn’t need a perfect setting to take a cloud observation—I just needed to take it. Photos are nice and add depth to the observation, but they're not essential. The important part is to make the observation.

Embracing Imperfection

With this realization, I went into an imperfect setting and captured my small point of view of how the clouds looked that day. At the condo, I discovered that if I moved into the middle of the parking lot that the buildings really didn’t block every direction of my view. 

At the ballfield, the people and the cars were really not even an issue because of the angle with which the photos needed to be taken. 

Turns out that getting the perfect observation really isn’t the goal.  The goal is to make the observation, contribute to the bigger picture of science, because that's what truly matters.

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