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Bright Sky (DWD) vs Hong Kong Observatory

Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.

APIBright Sky (DWD)HEALTHY72Hong Kong ObservatoryHEALTHY60
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d99.02%100%
Uptime · 30d98.3%100%
P50 · ms6561415
P95 · ms33493670
Authnonenone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedHKO open data (see terms of use)
Free tierUnlimited, no key, no credit cardFree, no key
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Bright Sky (DWD) vs Hong Kong Observatory: common questions

Which is more reliable, Bright Sky (DWD) or Hong Kong Observatory?

On our scheduled checks, Hong Kong Observatory leads on measured uptime — Bright Sky (DWD) at 99.02% versus Hong Kong Observatory at 100% over 90 days. These are our own probe results, not provider claims; the uptime bars above show the day-by-day record for both.

Which is faster, Bright Sky (DWD) or Hong Kong Observatory?

Bright Sky (DWD) has the lower median latency in our checks — Bright Sky (DWD) responds in 656 ms versus Hong Kong Observatory at 1415 ms (P50). Tail latency (P95) is in the table above; for most workloads the median is the number that shapes how the API feels.

Do Bright Sky (DWD) and Hong Kong Observatory need an API key?

Neither needs a paid key — Bright Sky (DWD) is callable with no signup, and Hong Kong Observatory is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call Bright Sky (DWD) and Hong Kong Observatory from the browser?

Yes — both Bright Sky (DWD) and Hong Kong Observatory send CORS headers over HTTPS, so front-end code can fetch either directly with no backend proxy. That makes them easy to swap in a client-side app while you compare responses.

Are Bright Sky (DWD) and Hong Kong Observatory free for commercial use?

Bright Sky (DWD) has unclear commercial terms, and Hong Kong Observatory has unclear commercial terms. We track service terms and the data license as separate fields — see the Commercial use and Data license rows above, and confirm both before shipping either in a paid product.