Scores are estimated from moon phase, moonlight interference and dark-window timing for Honolulu. This first version does not include cloud cover, so always check weather.
🌌 This month the galactic core is mostly above the horizon during daytime and hard to shoot at night. Milky Way season runs roughly Feb–Oct, with May–Aug best; the higher the latitude, the shorter it stays up each night.
| Date | Score | Tonight's Moon | Dark window |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-12-04 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 16% | 19:08-05:35 |
| 2026-12-05 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 9% | 19:08-05:36 |
| 2026-12-06 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 4% | 19:08-05:37 |
| 2026-12-07 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 1% | 19:08-05:37 |
| 2026-12-08 | 92 · Good | New Moon 0% | 19:09-05:38 |
| Date | Score | Tonight's Moon | Moonrise | Moonset | Dark window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-12-01 | 74 · Fair | Waning Crescent 43% | 00:31 | 13:06 | 19:07-05:34 |
| 2026-12-02 | 84 · Good | Waning Crescent 33% | 01:26 | 13:40 | 19:07-05:34 |
| 2026-12-03 | 84 · Good | Waning Crescent 23% | 02:19 | 14:13 | 19:07-05:35 |
| 2026-12-04 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 16% | 03:13 | 14:48 | 19:08-05:35 |
| 2026-12-05 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 9% | 04:06 | 15:26 | 19:08-05:36 |
| 2026-12-06 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 4% | 05:01 | 16:06 | 19:08-05:37 |
| 2026-12-07 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 1% | 05:56 | 16:51 | 19:08-05:37 |
| 2026-12-08 | 92 · Good | New Moon 0% | 06:51 | 17:39 | 19:09-05:38 |
| 2026-12-09 | 92 · Good | Waxing Crescent 1% | 07:44 | 18:31 | 19:09-05:38 |
| 2026-12-10 | 92 · Good | Waxing Crescent 3% | 08:33 | 19:24 | 19:09-05:39 |
| 2026-12-11 | 92 · Good | Waxing Crescent 7% | 09:18 | 20:18 | 19:09-05:39 |
| 2026-12-12 | 92 · Good | Waxing Crescent 13% | 09:59 | 21:11 | 19:10-05:40 |
| 2026-12-13 | 92 · Good | Waxing Crescent 20% | 10:36 | 22:03 | 19:10-05:40 |
| 2026-12-14 | 84 · Good | Waxing Crescent 28% | 11:10 | 22:54 | 19:11-05:41 |
| 2026-12-15 | 84 · Good | Waxing Crescent 37% | 11:43 | 23:45 | 19:11-05:41 |
| 2026-12-16 | 74 · Fair | First Quarter 47% | 12:15 | -- | 19:11-05:42 |
| 2026-12-17 | 74 · Fair | Waxing Gibbous 57% | 12:48 | 00:36 | 19:12-05:42 |
| 2026-12-18 | 52 · Fair | Waxing Gibbous 67% | 13:23 | 01:30 | 19:12-05:43 |
| 2026-12-19 | 52 · Fair | Waxing Gibbous 77% | 14:03 | 02:27 | 19:13-05:43 |
| 2026-12-20 | 40 · Poor | Waxing Gibbous 86% | 14:48 | 03:29 | 19:13-05:44 |
| 2026-12-21 | 40 · Poor | Waxing Gibbous 93% | 15:41 | 04:36 | 19:13-05:44 |
| 2026-12-22 | 40 · Poor | Waxing Gibbous 98% | 16:43 | 05:45 | 19:14-05:45 |
| 2026-12-23 | 40 · Poor | Full Moon 100% | 17:51 | 06:54 | 19:14-05:45 |
| 2026-12-24 | 40 · Poor | Waning Gibbous 99% | 19:03 | 07:58 | 19:15-05:46 |
| 2026-12-25 | 40 · Poor | Waning Gibbous 95% | 20:13 | 08:55 | 19:15-05:46 |
| 2026-12-26 | 40 · Poor | Waning Gibbous 88% | 21:19 | 09:44 | 19:16-05:47 |
| 2026-12-27 | 52 · Fair | Waning Gibbous 80% | 22:21 | 10:26 | 19:16-05:47 |
| 2026-12-28 | 62 · Fair | Waning Gibbous 70% | 23:19 | 11:04 | 19:17-05:48 |
| 2026-12-29 | 74 · Fair | Waning Gibbous 59% | -- | 11:40 | 19:17-05:48 |
| 2026-12-30 | 64 · Fair | Last Quarter 49% | 00:14 | 12:14 | 19:18-05:48 |
| 2026-12-31 | 84 · Good | Waning Crescent 39% | 01:08 | 12:49 | 19:19-05:49 |
The Honolulu calendar combines Moon phase, dark windows, and short-range conditions, but the score still needs local context and light pollution checks.
Score
High scores mean friendlier moonlight and night windows, and short-range views can include cloud and transparency. Local fog, patchy cloud, and nearby lights can still change the outcome.
Moonlight
Full-moon periods light the landscape but reduce faint-star and Milky Way contrast. For the Milky Way, meteors, or deep-sky targets, new-moon periods are usually better.
Dark window
Dark outside is not always dark enough. The dark window considers twilight ending, Moon rise and set, and the length of usable night.
After choosing a good date, confirm location, direction, and hourly weather for the night.
Short range
Moon phase can be planned months ahead, but cloud needs a short-range forecast. For the actual night, use hourly stargazing index and on-site observation.
Place
High elevation may help with low cloud, but nearby lights can still wash out the sky. Use the dark-sky map to remove weak candidates first.
Direction
A site may only work for certain horizons. Use the sky map to check the galactic center, Moon, and constellations before facing sea, mountains, or city lights.
Related tools: Stargazing & Moon Viewing Score · This month’s Moon phase calendar · Astronomy Calendar · Meteor Showers