From central Hawaii the Milky Way's galactic core is visible in true darkness from February to October, with the longest viewing window in June. Below: monthly times, the next new moons, and the darkest photo locations in Hawaii ranked by our light-pollution model.
Core season
Feb–Oct
Best month
June
7.7 h window
Max core altitude
40°
above southern horizon
Dark locations
171
Bortle 1–3 (est.)
Milky Way core visibility in Hawaii by month
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | — | — | 5° | — |
| February | 4:10 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.5 | 26° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:20 AM – 5:20 AM | 3.0 | 37° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:22 AM – 4:42 AM | 4.3 | 40° | SE → S |
| May | 10:18 PM – 4:18 AM | 6.0 | 40° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:34 PM – 4:14 AM | 7.7 | 40° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:34 PM – 2:54 AM | 6.3 | 40° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:15 PM – 12:45 AM | 4.5 | 40° | S → SW |
| September | 7:45 PM – 10:45 PM | 3.0 | 37° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:17 PM – 8:47 PM | 1.5 | 27° | SW → SW |
| November | — | — | 8° | — |
| December | — | — | -17° | — |
Computed for central Hawaii (20.9, -156.58) — core at least 10° high during astronomical darkness. Northern parts of the state see it lower and for less time.
Next new moons (darkest nights)
| Date | Time | Milky Way |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, Nov 08, 2026 | 9:02 PM | Core below horizon at night |
| Tue, Dec 08, 2026 | 2:52 PM | Core below horizon at night |
| Thu, Jan 07, 2027 | 10:24 AM | Core below horizon at night |
| Sat, Feb 06, 2027 | 5:56 AM | Core season |
| Sun, Mar 07, 2027 | 11:29 PM | Core season |
| Tue, Apr 06, 2027 | 1:51 PM | Core season |
| Thu, May 06, 2027 | 12:58 AM | Core season |
| Fri, Jun 04, 2027 | 9:40 AM | Core season |
| Sat, Jul 03, 2027 | 5:02 PM | Core season |
| Mon, Aug 02, 2027 | 12:05 AM | Core season |
| Tue, Aug 31, 2027 | 7:41 AM | Core season |
| Wed, Sep 29, 2027 | 4:36 PM | Core season |
| Fri, Oct 29, 2027 | 3:36 AM | Core season |
New moon times from the U.S. Naval Observatory, converted to local time. The 3–4 nights either side are also dark in the evening or morning.
Darkest photo locations in Hawaii
| Location | Type | County | Est. Bortle | Zenith mag/arcsec² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mauna Kea State Recreation Area | State Park | Hawaii County | 2 | 21.85 |
| Hōlei Sea Arch Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Hawaii County | 2 | 21.85 |
| Hōlei Pali Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Hawaii County | 2 | 21.85 |
| Nā Pali Coast State Park | State Park | Kauai County | 2 | 21.79 |
| Haʻena State Park | State Park | Kauai County | 2 | 21.79 |
| Koke'e State Park | State Park | Kauai County | 2 | 21.75 |
| Kalalau Lookout, Honopu | Scenic Viewpoint | Kauai County | 2 | 21.77 |
| Kīpuka Kahāli‘i Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Hawaii County | 2 | 21.78 |
| Mau Loa O Mauna Ulu Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Hawaii County | 2 | 21.79 |
| Muliwai a Pele Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Hawaii County | 2 | 21.82 |
| Hālona Kahakai Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Hawaii County | 2 | 21.83 |
| Alanui Kahiko Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Hawaii County | 2 | 21.84 |
| Waipio Scenic Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Hawaii County | 2 | 21.78 |
| Polihale State Park | State Park | Kauai County | 2 | 21.73 |
| Southwest Rift Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Hawaii County | 2 | 21.71 |
| Wailua Valley State Wayside Park | State Park | Maui County | 3 | 21.57 |
| Bay View Home | Scenic Viewpoint | Kalawao County | 3 | 21.62 |
| Keanakāko‘i Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Hawaii County | 3 | 21.55 |
| Kīlauea Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Hawaii County | 3 | 21.57 |
| Halema‘uma‘u Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Hawaii County | 3 | 21.63 |
Sky brightness is modeled from nearby town populations (Walker's law); terrain, altitude and local lighting can make real skies better or worse.
Starting exposure for sharp stars (NPF rule)
| Sensor | Lens | Aperture | NPF max shutter | 500 rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full frame (35 mm) | 14 mm | f/2.8 | 19.6 s | 36 s |
| Full frame (35 mm) | 20 mm | f/2.8 | 13.8 s | 25 s |
| Full frame (35 mm) | 24 mm | f/2.8 | 11.5 s | 21 s |
| APS-C (Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Pentax) | 14 mm | f/2.8 | 15.4 s | 23 s |
| APS-C (Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Pentax) | 20 mm | f/2.8 | 10.8 s | 16 s |
| APS-C (Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Pentax) | 24 mm | f/2.8 | 9.0 s | 14 s |
| Micro Four Thirds | 14 mm | f/2.8 | 14.1 s | 18 s |
| Micro Four Thirds | 20 mm | f/2.8 | 9.8 s | 12 s |
| Micro Four Thirds | 24 mm | f/2.8 | 8.2 s | 10 s |
NPF = (35 × f-number + 30 × pixel pitch) ÷ focal length, using typical pixel pitch per format (24 MP FF, 24–26 MP APS-C, 20 MP MFT). Fine-tune for your camera with the NPF calculator.
Tips for Milky Way photography
- Shoot within a few days of the new moon, or after moonset / before moonrise.
- Use ISO 3200–6400 on modern full-frame sensors, f/1.8–f/2.8, and the NPF shutter time.
- Focus manually on a bright star with live view magnified, then lock the focus ring.
- Shoot a blue-hour or low-ISO foreground frame from the same tripod position and blend it later.
- Stack 10–20 frames to reduce noise, or use a star tracker for longer exposures.
- Check the darkest-location table above, then confirm the view to the south on the location's sun-path diagram.
FAQ
When is Milky Way season in Hawaii?
From about February to October the core is above the horizon during darkness; June gives the longest window.
Where is the best place to see the Milky Way in Hawaii?
Our darkest modeled locations include Mauna Kea State Recreation Area, Hōlei Sea Arch Overlook, Hōlei Pali Overlook, Nā Pali Coast State Park.
What time is the Milky Way visible tonight?
Use the Milky Way planner with your location for exact rise, transit and dark-window times.