Halona Blowhole — a rock formation in Honolulu County, Hawaii — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.7 km (1.1 mi) SSW of Kalama Valley.
Hālona Blowhole is a rock formation and a blowhole on the island of Oahu, Hawaii off of Hanauma Bay at Hālona Point overlooking the Pacific Ocean. In Hawaiian hālona means "lookout".From the Wikipedia article “Hālona Blowhole”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Halona Blowhole the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 64° (ENE) at the June solstice and 115° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 296° (WNW) in June to 245° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 88° in summer but only 45° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:35 AM | 90° E | 6:42 PM | 270° W | 69° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 64° ENE | 7:16 PM | 296° WNW | 88° | 13h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:20 AM | 89° E | 6:28 PM | 271° W | 69° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:05 AM | 115° ESE | 5:55 PM | 245° WSW | 45° | 10h 50m |
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
Rock towers and buttes glow red and orange in the first and last half-hour of sun; midday light flattens their shape.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:48 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 59m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 27m |
| March | 6:18 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:03 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:13 PM | 12h 38m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:26 PM | 13h 09m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:40 PM | 13h 25m |
| July | 5:34 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:41 PM | 13h 18m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:40 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:25 PM | 12h 52m |
| September | 5:56 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:35 PM | 6:57 PM | 12h 16m |
| October | 6:05 AM | 6:27 AM | 6:57 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 40m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:14 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:13 PM | 11h 08m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 51m |
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 Halona Blowhole, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 40° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| February | 4:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.5 | 26° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:25 AM – 5:25 AM | 3.0 | 37° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:27 AM – 4:47 AM | 4.3 | 40° | SE → S |
| May | 10:24 PM – 4:24 AM | 6.0 | 40° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:40 PM – 4:20 AM | 7.7 | 40° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:40 PM – 2:50 AM | 6.2 | 40° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:20 PM – 12:50 AM | 4.5 | 40° | S → SW |
| September | 7:49 PM – 10:49 PM | 3.0 | 37° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:22 PM – 8:52 PM | 1.5 | 26° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.49 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 47% 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 | 79 | 79 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 83 | 83 | 85 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 80 |
| Low °F | 68 | 66 | 66 | 67 | 70 | 74 | 74 | 75 | 75 | 73 | 72 | 69 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 2.9 |
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 rock formation
- At night, a formation under the Milky Way or star trails makes a strong anchor.
- Use the sunrise and sunset azimuths below to know which face will be lit.
- Stay on trails; desert soils and lichens take decades to recover from footprints.
- Find a spot where the formation sits against open sky to emphasize its silhouette.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring and autumn are best in desert regions; winter snow on red rock is rare but spectacular.
Suggested gear: Wide and telephoto lenses, Tripod, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Halona Blowhole, closest first.
Beach
Scenic Viewpoint
Botanical Garden
Volcano
Cave
Lighthouse
Beach
Lighthouse
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Halona Blowhole?
What time is golden hour at Halona Blowhole?
Where does the sun rise and set at Halona Blowhole?
Can you see the Milky Way from Halona Blowhole?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Halona Blowhole?
How far is Halona Blowhole from Kalama Valley?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.