If human sensitivity to atmospheres is an indisputable fact, that sensitivity is much more difficult to define and indeed measure. Although designers and architects deal with atmospheres in their daily practice, they find it difficult to analyze and control precisely how the different variables that affect an atmosphere interact with each other to produce a specific effect. The gap between the intended qualities of an atmosphere and the end users' perception and appreciation of these qualities is indeed a central issue in our disciplines. This paper is a tentative step to fill the gap. It proposes and discusses an analytical tool derived from a research conducted both in natural and experimental settings. The tool consists in six independent dimensions along which interior atmospheres have been characterized and compared. Its application to natural outer landscapes is currently under inquiry.