Picking your night

Two things decide a Mauna Kea night: clouds and the moon. Here is the week ahead on both.

Next 7 nights

  1. TonightJul 24
    88% clear sky
    85%
    Fair
  2. SatJul 25
    95% clear sky
    91%
    Fair
  3. SunJul 26
    95% clear sky
    96%
    Fair
  4. MonJul 27
    96% clear sky
    99%
    Fair
  5. TueJul 28
    42% clear sky
    100%
    Fair
  6. WedJul 29
    95% clear sky
    99%
    Fair
  7. ThuJul 30
    92% clear sky
    97%
    Fair

Sky cover is the NWS forecast averaged over the truly dark hours of each night, summit area only. The far end of the week thins out; a blank row means the forecast does not reach that far yet, not that the night is bad.

The moon calendar

A bright moon is the one forecast you can count on years ahead. Around the new moon the summit sky is at its absolute darkest, and the Milky Way core is the show. Around the full moon, the landscape glows and the faint stuff is gone; still a beautiful drive, just a different one.

  • Next new moon: Wednesday, August 12. The darkest week of the month runs a few nights either side of it.
  • Next full moon: Wednesday, July 29.

← Back to tonight's conditions

Booked on a good night? Tour vs driving yourself, compared →

Sky cover: National Weather Service. Moon phases computed by this site.