Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge — a national wildlife refuge in Honolulu County, Hawaii — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.7 km (1.1 mi) S of Kalaeloa-Campbell Industrial Park.
The Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge is a United States National Wildlife Refuge on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaii. It was created in 1972 to mitigate the wildlife resource disturbances caused by construction of the Honolulu International Airport Reef Runway. The Refuge includes three units, the Honouliuli, Waiwa and Kalaeloa. The Honouliuli and Waiawa Units are managed under a cooperative agreement with the United States Navy. The Kalaeloa Unit was established during Base Realignment and Closure proceedings in 2001. Through these cooperative efforts with the Federal Aviation Administration, the State of Hawaii, and the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made Pearl Harbor NWR a reality.From the Wikipedia article “Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge 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) | 6:37 AM | 90° E | 6:44 PM | 270° W | 69° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:52 AM | 64° ENE | 7:18 PM | 296° WNW | 88° | 13h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:22 AM | 89° E | 6:30 PM | 271° W | 69° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:06 AM | 115° ESE | 5:56 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
Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:49 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 59m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 27m |
| March | 6:19 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:05 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:15 PM | 12h 38m |
| May | 5:31 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:28 PM | 13h 09m |
| June | 5:26 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:41 PM | 13h 25m |
| July | 5:35 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:31 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:43 PM | 13h 18m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:27 PM | 12h 52m |
| September | 5:58 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:37 PM | 6:59 PM | 12h 16m |
| October | 6:06 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:58 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:31 PM | 11h 40m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:16 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:15 PM | 11h 07m |
| December | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:18 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 Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge, 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 | 4:16 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.5 | 26° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:26 AM – 5:26 AM | 3.0 | 37° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:28 AM – 4:48 AM | 4.3 | 40° | SE → S |
| May | 10:25 PM – 4:25 AM | 6.0 | 40° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:41 PM – 4:21 AM | 7.7 | 40° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:41 PM – 2:51 AM | 6.2 | 40° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:21 PM – 12:51 AM | 4.5 | 40° | S → SW |
| September | 7:50 PM – 10:50 PM | 3.0 | 37° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:23 PM – 8:53 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 ≈ 18.58 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (58%). 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 | 79 | 78 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 83 | 80 |
| Low °F | 70 | 67 | 68 | 70 | 71 | 75 | 75 | 76 | 76 | 76 | 74 | 70 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 2.8 |
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 national wildlife refuge
- Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Stay on designated routes and keep a respectful distance — if an animal changes behavior, you are too close.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Lighthouse
Volcano
Lighthouse
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Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Mountain PeakFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge from Kalaeloa-Campbell Industrial Park?
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.