Lake Michigan Moonset Predictor Plugin

Version: 1.0
Author: ScooterCam
For: ScooterCam.net

A specialized WordPress plugin that predicts spectacular moonset viewing conditions over Lake Michigan from the South Haven to Holland viewing area. This plugin analyzes moon phases, timing, atmospheric conditions, and critically—cross-lake cloud coverage from Kenosha, WI—to determine optimal moonset photography and viewing opportunities.

🌕 What Makes a Great Lake Michigan Moonset?

A truly spectacular Lake Michigan moonset occurs when:

A nearly full moon (85%+ illumination) sets over the lake
Timing coincides with dawn (within 1-2 hours of sunrise)
Moon sets in the western sky (directly over Lake Michigan)
Clear skies exist on BOTH sides of the lake
Good visibility and low humidity enhance clarity

📋 Features

Core Functionality

Real-time moonset scoring (0-100 scale with letter grades)
Cross-lake cloud analysis – Monitors both South Haven and Kenosha weather
Dawn timing optimization – Identifies perfect sunrise/moonset alignment
Moon phase tracking – Prioritizes full moon events
Next opportunity prediction – Calculates upcoming great moonsets
Smart caching – Reduces API calls while staying current

Scoring System (100 points total)

Factor	Points	Description
Moon Phase	45	Nearly full (85%+) = 45pts, Bright (70%+) = 35pts
Dawn Timing	20	Within 1hr of sunrise = 20pts, 2hrs = 15pts
Cross-Lake Clouds	20	Clear both sides = 20pts, averages local + Kenosha
Moon Position	15	West over lake (225-315°) = 15pts
Visibility	10	Crystal clear (10km+) = 10pts
Humidity	5	Low humidity (<60%) = 5pts

Why Kenosha Weather Matters

The moonset occurs over Lake Michigan, which means clouds anywhere between South Haven, MI and Kenosha, WI can obscure the view. The plugin:

Fetches weather from both South Haven (viewer location) and Kenosha (across the lake)
Calculates average cloud coverage across the lake
Penalizes high cloud coverage on either side
Provides detailed cloud reports: “Clear skies across Lake Michigan (Local: 10%, Kenosha: 15%)”

This cross-lake analysis is critical for accurate predictions.

🚀 Installation

1. Upload Plugin Files

/wp-content/plugins/scootercam-moonset-predictor/
├── scootercam-moonset-predictor.php
├── class-lake-michigan-moonset-predictor.php
└── README.md

2. Activate Plugin

Go to WordPress Admin → Plugins
Find “ScooterCam Lake Michigan Moonset Predictor”
Click “Activate”

3. Configure API Keys

Go to Settings → Moonset Predictor
Add your API keys:
- OpenWeatherMap API Key – Get free at openweathermap.org/api
- RapidAPI Moon Phase Key – Get at rapidapi.com/MoonAPIcom/api/moon-phase

4. Add to Your Site

Use shortcodes in any page or post:

[moonset_score]

[moonset_score]

📱 Usage Examples

Full Moonset Display

[moonset_score]

Shows complete prediction with score, timing, conditions, and all factors.

Score Only

[moonset_score display="score"]

Output: 85/100 (A)

Moonset Time Only

[moonset_score display=”time”]

[moonset_score display="time"]

Output: 6:42 AM

Next Great Opportunity

[moonset_score display=”next”]

[moonset_score display="next"]

Shows when the next excellent moonset will occur.

🎨 Display Modes

When Worth Watching (Score ≥30)

Displays full prediction card with:

Large score circle with color-coded gradient
Moon phase name and illumination percentage
Moonset and sunrise times
Detailed condition factors
Alert banner for excellent conditions

When Not Worth Watching

Displays “Next Opportunity” card with:

Current moon phase
Date of next great moonset
Estimated score for that date
Days until opportunity
Seasonal reasoning

🎯 Score Interpretation

Score	Grade	Meaning
85-100	A+ to A	Excellent – Drop everything and go!
70-84	B+ to A-	Great – Highly recommended viewing
50-69	C to B-	Good – Worth checking out
30-49	D to C-	Fair – Marginal conditions
0-29	F	Poor – Not worth the trip

🌤️ Weather Monitoring

Locations Monitored

South Haven, MI (42.5593, -86.2361)

Primary viewing location
Local weather conditions
Visibility and humidity

Kenosha, WI (42.5847, -87.8212)

Across Lake Michigan
Critical for cloud interference detection
West-to-east cloud movement

Cache System

Moon data: 1 hour cache
Weather data: 30 minute cache
Kenosha weather: 30 minute cache

Caching reduces API costs while maintaining accuracy for evolving conditions.

🔧 Technical Details

API Requirements

OpenWeatherMap API

Free tier: 1,000 calls/day
Used for: Current weather (South Haven + Kenosha)
Update frequency: Every 30 minutes

RapidAPI Moon Phase

Free tier: 500 calls/month
Used for: Moon position, phase, timing
Update frequency: Every hour

File Structure

scootercam-moonset-predictor/
├── scootercam-moonset-predictor.php    # Main plugin file
├── class-lake-michigan-moonset-predictor.php    # Core prediction logic
└── README.md    # Documentation

Cache File Location

/home/scootercam/public_html/wx/moonset_cache.json

Dependencies

PHP 7.0+
WordPress 5.0+
JSON support
file_get_contents() enabled

🎨 Styling

The plugin includes comprehensive CSS that creates:

Beautiful gradient backgrounds (night sky theme)
Responsive design (mobile-friendly)
Color-coded score circles (purple → blue → pink based on quality)
Professional card layouts
Smooth animations

Customization

You can override styles by adding custom CSS to your theme:

.moonset-predictor {
    /* Your custom styles */
}

📊 Seasonal Considerations

Best Seasons for Lake Michigan Moonsets

Winter (Dec-Feb)

Longer nights = better dawn alignment
Clearer atmospheres
+15 point seasonal bonus

Fall (Sep-Nov)

Good dawn timing
Stable weather patterns
+10 point seasonal bonus

Spring (Mar-May)

Moderate conditions
+5 point seasonal bonus

Summer (Jun-Aug)

Short nights = poor alignment
Dawn too early for good moonsets
No seasonal bonus

🐛 Troubleshooting

“API keys not configured”

Solution: Go to Settings → Moonset Predictor and add both API keys

“Unable to load moonset data”

Possible causes:

API keys invalid or expired
API rate limits exceeded
Network connectivity issues
Cache file permission problems

Solutions:

Verify API keys are active
Check API usage quotas
Ensure cache directory is writable: chmod 755 /home/scootercam/public_html/wx/

Scores seem inaccurate

Check:

Both APIs returning data (check cache file)
Kenosha weather being fetched successfully
Moon phase data is current
Clear cache and force refresh

Cache Issues

Clear cache programmatically:

$predictor->clearCache();

Or delete manually:

rm /home/scootercam/public_html/wx/moonset_cache.json

🔮 Understanding the Predictions

Morning Moonset Requirement

Only moonsets occurring between 4 AM and 10 AM are considered. This ensures:

Dawn light enhancement
Reasonable viewing times
Photographic opportunities

Cloud Analysis Logic

Average Clouds = (South Haven + Kenosha) / 2
Max Clouds = Maximum of either location

If avgClouds ≤ 15% AND maxClouds ≤ 25%
   → Excellent (20 points)
   
If avgClouds ≤ 30% AND maxClouds ≤ 45%
   → Good (14 points)
   
Otherwise
   → Points reduced dramatically

Azimuth Sweet Spot

The moon must set between 225° and 315° (west-facing) to be directly over Lake Michigan from the South Haven viewing area.

📈 Future Enhancements

Potential additions:

Multi-day forecast predictions
Historical moonset gallery integration
Push notifications for excellent conditions
Tide data integration
Wind speed/direction analysis
Light pollution index

🤝 Support

For issues, questions, or feature requests:

Email: [your-email]
Website: ScooterCam.net
Report bugs: [github-url if applicable]

📜 License

This plugin is proprietary software created for ScooterCam.net.

🙏 Credits

Weather data: OpenWeatherMap
Moon data: RapidAPI Moon Phase API
Developed for ScooterCam.net
Lake Michigan viewing area: South Haven to Holland, MI

📝 Changelog

Version 1.0 (2025)

Initial release
Full moon phase scoring
Dawn timing optimization
Cross-lake cloud analysis from Kenosha
Next opportunity predictions
Smart caching system
Responsive design
Multiple display modes

Made with ❤️ for capturing the beauty of Lake Michigan moonsets 🌕🌊