Green Lake (Hawaii) — a lake in Hawaii County, Hawaii — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 7.6 km (4.7 mi) E of Nanawale Estates.
Green Lake (Hawaiian: Ka Wai o Pele) was a freshwater crater lake in Puʻu Kapoho crater on the island of Hawaiʻi. With a surface area of 0.8 hectares (2.0 acres) and a maximum depth of 61 metres (200 ft), it was the largest natural freshwater lake in the Hawaiian Islands, and, along with Lake Waiau, was one of two freshwater lakes on Hawaiʻi Island. Hawaiian myths state that the lake was the first place visited by Pele, the volcano deity. The lake was a popular swimming spot for locals and tourists. Extensive vegetation, mainly Hibiscus tiliaceus, overhung the lake, shading about twenty percent of the lake's surface. On June 2, 2018, the lake was destroyed when lava flowing from Kīlauea's lower Puna eruption boiled it away, completely filling the basin. The eruption dissolved the island's largest body of freshwater in only five hours.From the Wikipedia article “Green Lake (Hawaii)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Green Lake (Hawaii) the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 65° (ENE) at the June solstice and 115° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 295° (WNW) in June to 245° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 86° in summer but only 47° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:24 AM | 90° E | 6:31 PM | 270° W | 70° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 65° ENE | 7:01 PM | 295° WNW | 86° | 13h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:09 AM | 89° E | 6:17 PM | 271° W | 71° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:50 AM | 115° ESE | 5:47 PM | 245° WSW | 47° | 10h 57m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Lakes reflect best in calm air — usually the first hour after sunrise, before breezes ripple the surface.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:33 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:25 PM | 11h 05m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 31m |
| March | 6:06 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:52 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:40 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:32 AM | 6:08 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:00 PM | 12h 35m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:12 PM | 13h 03m |
| June | 5:17 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:24 PM | 13h 18m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:26 PM | 13h 12m |
| August | 5:38 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:31 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:11 PM | 12h 48m |
| September | 5:46 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:37 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:45 PM | 12h 15m |
| October | 5:52 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:44 AM | 5:28 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:19 PM | 11h 43m |
| November | 6:05 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:59 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:04 PM | 11h 13m |
| December | 6:23 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:19 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 58m |
Local time (Pacific/Honolulu), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Green Lake (Hawaii), the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 42° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| February | 4:04 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.5 | 27° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:12 AM – 5:12 AM | 3.0 | 38° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:12 AM – 4:42 AM | 4.5 | 42° | SE → S |
| May | 10:08 PM – 4:18 AM | 6.2 | 42° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:23 PM – 4:13 AM | 7.8 | 42° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:23 PM – 2:43 AM | 6.3 | 42° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:05 PM – 12:45 AM | 4.7 | 42° | S → SW |
| September | 7:36 PM – 10:46 PM | 3.2 | 39° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:10 PM – 8:50 PM | 1.7 | 28° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -17° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.6 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show January as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (61%). September is the warmest month and February the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 78 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 82 | 83 | 83 | 82 | 82 | 79 |
| Low °F | 69 | 69 | 67 | 70 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 75 | 72 | 71 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.7 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 4.5 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this lake
- Mist often lifts off lakes on cold mornings after warm days, especially in autumn.
- Include shoreline rocks, reeds or a log as foreground to give the reflection depth.
- Expose for the brighter sky; reflections are typically half a stop to a stop darker.
- After sunset, long exposures smooth wind ripples into glass.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Autumn mornings bring mist and fall color; high-elevation lakes are usually ice-free only from early summer to mid-autumn.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, Wide-angle lens, Waterproof boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Green Lake (Hawaii), closest first.
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Beach
CaveFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Green Lake (Hawaii)?
What time is golden hour at Green Lake (Hawaii)?
Where does the sun rise and set at Green Lake (Hawaii)?
Can you see the Milky Way from Green Lake (Hawaii)?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Green Lake (Hawaii)?
How far is Green Lake (Hawaii) from Nanawale Estates?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.