Kaholua o Kahawali Crater is a volcano in Hawaii County, Hawaii at about 123 m (404 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 4.5 km (2.8 mi) ESE of Nanawale Estates.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Kaholua o Kahawali Crater 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
Volcanic cones and lava fields have strong shapes that read well in side-light; dark basalt needs careful exposure.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:34 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:26 PM | 11h 05m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 31m |
| March | 6:07 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:58 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 | 5:22 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 | 6:14 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 | 7:12 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 | 6:15 AM | 6:44 AM | 5:28 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:19 PM | 11h 43m |
| November | 6:05 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:00 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:05 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 Kaholua o Kahawali Crater, 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 ≈ 21.45 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 volcano
- Check local volcanic activity notices and area closures before visiting.
- Snow-capped volcanoes reflect alpenglow at sunrise — shoot from a lake or meadow for a reflection.
- Lava rock is sharp and unstable; stay on trails.
- Long lenses from 20–60 miles away make large stratovolcanoes dominate the horizon.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Summer for high trails; winter and spring for snowy cones viewed from below.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Tripod, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Kaholua o Kahawali Crater, closest first.
Ghost Town
Volcano
State Park
LakeVolcano
Beach
Lighthouse
Beach
CaveFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Kaholua o Kahawali Crater?
What time is golden hour at Kaholua o Kahawali Crater?
Where does the sun rise and set at Kaholua o Kahawali Crater?
Can you see the Milky Way from Kaholua o Kahawali Crater?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Kaholua o Kahawali Crater?
How far is Kaholua o Kahawali Crater from Nanawale Estates?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.