· By Shinpei Tsubogami
What Time Does an Ishigaki Stargazing Tour Start? Why Late Night Can Be Best
The sky is fully dark about 1 hour 20 minutes after sunset (around 9 pm in summer, 7 pm-ish in winter). The best time on any night depends on when the moon sets.
On Ishigaki the stars come out properly about 1 hour 20 minutes after sunset, once the sun is 18° below the horizon and the evening glow is gone. That is around 9 pm in summer and in the 7 pm hour in winter.
When the sky gets dark, month by month
| Month | Sunset | Full darkness |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18:15 | 19:35 |
| Feb | 18:40 | 19:55 |
| Mar | 18:55 | 20:10 |
| Apr | 19:05 | 20:25 |
| May | 19:20 | 20:45 |
| Jun | 19:35 | 21:00 |
| Jul | 19:35 | 21:00 |
| Aug | 19:20 | 20:40 |
| Sep | 18:50 | 20:05 |
| Oct | 18:20 | 19:35 |
| Nov | 17:55 | 19:15 |
| Dec | 18:00 | 19:20 |
Calculated for Ishigaki (24.34°N) on the 15th of each month, rounded to 5 minutes.
The moon decides the best time
Moonlight brightens the sky and hides many stars, so the best time changes with the moon's phase.
- Around the new moon: hardly any moon, so stars are great from dark until dawn.
- Around first quarter (about a week after new moon): the moon is up in the evening and sets around midnight. Later at night is best.
- Around last quarter (about a week after full moon): the moon rises around midnight. Early evening is best.
- Full moon and the days around it: the moon is bright all night, so MONDO PIECE is closed.
Time slots at MONDO PIECE
| Time slot | Good for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 19:00–21:00 | Last quarter, near new moon | Regular |
| 21:00–24:00 | Near new moon | Regular |
| 0:00–3:00 | First quarter (after moonset) | +¥1,000 per person |
| 3:00–6:00 | Milky Way before dawn | +¥1,000 per person |
Choose "leave it to us" on the booking form and we will tell you the best time for that night by LINE, based on the moon and the weather. The shoot takes about 30 minutes.