diff --git a/moon_composite.py b/moon_composite.py
index ef7cdd3..2325668 100755
--- a/moon_composite.py
+++ b/moon_composite.py
@@ -209,6 +209,63 @@ def composite_full_moon(
     return out_path
 
 
+def _extract_cloud_veil(
+    east_frame_path: str,
+    cx: float,
+    cy: float,
+    moon_radius_px: float,
+    output_size: tuple[int, int],
+    blur_radius: int = 0,
+    max_opacity: float = 0.40,
+) -> tuple[Image.Image, float] | None:
+    """Extract sky texture around the moon from east frame as an atmospheric veil.
+
+    Samples an annular region just outside the moon disk (2x–5x radius),
+    scales it to output_size, then blurs heavily so it reads as atmospheric
+    haze rather than an upscaled photo.  Opacity is proportional to how
+    bright the surrounding sky is — dark clear sky returns None, thin cloud
+    returns a partial veil, bright overcast returns max_opacity.
+
+    Returns (image, opacity) or None if the sky is too dark to matter.
+    """
+    src = Image.open(east_frame_path).convert('RGB')
+    arr = np.asarray(src).astype(np.float32)
+    src_h, src_w = arr.shape[:2]
+
+    inner_r = moon_radius_px * 2.0
+    outer_r = min(moon_radius_px * 5.0, min(src_h, src_w) * 0.40)
+    if outer_r <= inner_r:
+        return None
+
+    yy, xx = np.mgrid[0:src_h, 0:src_w]
+    dist = np.sqrt((xx - cx) ** 2 + (yy - cy) ** 2)
+    annulus = (dist >= inner_r) & (dist <= outer_r)
+    if not annulus.any():
+        return None
+
+    mean_brightness = float(arr[annulus].mean()) / 255.0
+    if mean_brightness < 0.05:
+        return None  # clear dark sky — nothing to veil
+
+    # Opacity scales from 0 at 5% brightness to max_opacity at ~20% brightness.
+    opacity = min(max_opacity, (mean_brightness - 0.05) * (max_opacity / 0.15))
+    if opacity <= 0:
+        return None
+
+    x0 = max(0, int(cx - outer_r))
+    x1 = min(src_w, int(cx + outer_r))
+    y0 = max(0, int(cy - outer_r))
+    y1 = min(src_h, int(cy + outer_r))
+    patch = src.crop((x0, y0, x1, y1))
+
+    cloud = patch.resize(output_size, LANCZOS)
+    # Blur radius: large enough to erase camera detail, keep only haze shape
+    r = blur_radius if blur_radius > 0 else max(8, output_size[0] // 10)
+    cloud = cloud.filter(ImageFilter.GaussianBlur(radius=r))
+
+    return cloud, opacity
+
+
 def render_phase_closeup(
     nasa_render_path: str,
     out_path: str,
@@ -216,14 +273,24 @@ def render_phase_closeup(
     moon_height_pct: float = 0.92,
     caption: str | None = None,
     background: tuple[int, int, int] = (0, 0, 0),
+    east_frame_path: str | None = None,
+    east_detection=None,
+    cloud_overlay_enabled: bool = True,
+    cloud_overlay_max_opacity: float = 0.40,
+    cloud_overlay_blur: int = 0,
 ):
     """Full-screen close-up rendering using a NASA SVS Dial-a-Moon image.
 
     The dial-a-moon render already has the correct phase, libration and
-    crater shadows for the requested timestamp, so we simply size it to fill
-    the output frame on a black background and add a caption.  No east
-    compositing — the moon dominates the frame the way a 65× telephoto shot
-    would.
+    crater shadows for the requested timestamp, so we size it to fill the
+    output frame on a black background and add a caption.
+
+    When east_frame_path and east_detection are provided the function also
+    extracts the sky around east's moon detection and blends it as a
+    subtle atmospheric veil over the composite.  This lets thin cloud or
+    haze from east's actual observation show through — the opacity is
+    proportional to how bright the surrounding sky was.  Set
+    cloud_overlay_enabled=False to always skip this step.
     """
     bg = Image.new('RGB', output_size, background)
     moon = Image.open(nasa_render_path).convert('RGB')
@@ -240,6 +307,21 @@ def render_phase_closeup(
     py = (output_size[1] - target) // 2
     bg.paste(moon_resized, (px, py), mask)
 
+    # ── Atmospheric veil from east's surrounding sky ──────────────────────
+    if cloud_overlay_enabled and east_frame_path and east_detection is not None:
+        cx, cy = east_detection.centroid_xy
+        radius_px = east_detection.diameter_px / 2
+        veil = _extract_cloud_veil(
+            east_frame_path, cx, cy, radius_px, output_size,
+            blur_radius=cloud_overlay_blur,
+            max_opacity=cloud_overlay_max_opacity,
+        )
+        if veil is not None:
+            cloud_img, opacity = veil
+            bg = Image.blend(bg, cloud_img, alpha=opacity)
+            # Re-paste the moon sharply on top so haze sits behind disk edge
+            bg.paste(moon_resized, (px, py), mask)
+
     if caption:
         draw = ImageDraw.Draw(bg)
         draw.text((24, output_size[1] - 44), caption, fill=(0, 0, 0))
diff --git a/moon_phase_monthly.py b/moon_phase_monthly.py
index 47dfcb0..e101420 100755
--- a/moon_phase_monthly.py
+++ b/moon_phase_monthly.py
@@ -85,13 +85,18 @@ OUT_H = int(CONF.get('MOON_OUTPUT_H', CONF.get('MOON_FULL_OUTPUT_H', 1080)))
 MOON_PCT = float(CONF.get('MOON_HEIGHT_PCT', 0.92))
 REQUIRE_EAST_VERIFY = CONF.get('MOON_REQUIRE_EAST_VERIFY', 'true').lower() != 'false'
 
+CLOUD_OVERLAY_ENABLED = CONF.get('MOON_CLOUD_OVERLAY_ENABLED', 'true').lower() != 'false'
+CLOUD_OVERLAY_MAX_OPACITY = float(CONF.get('MOON_CLOUD_OVERLAY_MAX_OPACITY', 0.40))
+CLOUD_OVERLAY_BLUR = int(CONF.get('MOON_CLOUD_OVERLAY_BLUR', 0))
+
 
 PHASE_SPEC = {
     'full': {
         'index': 2,
         'label': 'Full Moon',
         'emoji': '🌕',
-        'illum_min': float(CONF.get('MOON_FULL_MIN_ILLUMINATION', 0.95)),
+        # ±4% of target (100%): accept 96–100% illumination
+        'illum_min': float(CONF.get('MOON_FULL_MIN_ILLUMINATION', 0.96)),
         'illum_max': 1.01,
         'waxing': None,
         'window_before': int(CONF.get('MOON_FULL_WINDOW_BEFORE_DAYS', 1)),
@@ -103,8 +108,9 @@ PHASE_SPEC = {
         'index': 1,
         'label': 'First Quarter (Waxing Half)',
         'emoji': '🌓',
-        'illum_min': float(CONF.get('MOON_QUARTER_MIN_ILLUMINATION', 0.40)),
-        'illum_max': float(CONF.get('MOON_QUARTER_MAX_ILLUMINATION', 0.65)),
+        # ±4% of target (50%): accept 46–54% illumination, waxing only
+        'illum_min': float(CONF.get('MOON_QUARTER_MIN_ILLUMINATION', 0.46)),
+        'illum_max': float(CONF.get('MOON_QUARTER_MAX_ILLUMINATION', 0.54)),
         'waxing': True,
         'window_before': int(CONF.get('MOON_QUARTER_WINDOW_BEFORE_DAYS', 1)),
         'window_after': int(CONF.get('MOON_QUARTER_WINDOW_AFTER_DAYS', 1)),
@@ -115,8 +121,9 @@ PHASE_SPEC = {
         'index': 3,
         'label': 'Third Quarter (Waning Half)',
         'emoji': '🌗',
-        'illum_min': float(CONF.get('MOON_QUARTER_MIN_ILLUMINATION', 0.40)),
-        'illum_max': float(CONF.get('MOON_QUARTER_MAX_ILLUMINATION', 0.65)),
+        # ±4% of target (50%): accept 46–54% illumination, waning only
+        'illum_min': float(CONF.get('MOON_QUARTER_MIN_ILLUMINATION', 0.46)),
+        'illum_max': float(CONF.get('MOON_QUARTER_MAX_ILLUMINATION', 0.54)),
         'waxing': False,
         'window_before': int(CONF.get('MOON_QUARTER_WINDOW_BEFORE_DAYS', 1)),
         'window_after': int(CONF.get('MOON_QUARTER_WINDOW_AFTER_DAYS', 1)),
@@ -325,11 +332,14 @@ def run_phase(phase: str, target_utc: datetime | None, cam: str,
         cam, dry_run, no_upload, out_path,
         witness_text=f'witnessed at {local_dt.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z")} '
                      f'({delta_min:+.0f} min from exact {phase})',
+        east_frame_path=path,
+        east_detection=det,
     )
 
 
 def _render_and_post(phase, spec, target_utc, when_utc, local_dt, cam,
-                     dry_run, no_upload, out_path, witness_text):
+                     dry_run, no_upload, out_path, witness_text,
+                     east_frame_path=None, east_detection=None):
     if out_path is None:
         out_dir = pathlib.Path(MOVIES_DIR) / cam / _output_subdir(phase)
         out_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
@@ -362,6 +372,11 @@ def _render_and_post(phase, spec, target_utc, when_utc, local_dt, cam,
         str(nasa_path), out_path,
         output_size=(OUT_W, OUT_H), moon_height_pct=MOON_PCT,
         caption=caption,
+        east_frame_path=east_frame_path,
+        east_detection=east_detection,
+        cloud_overlay_enabled=CLOUD_OVERLAY_ENABLED,
+        cloud_overlay_max_opacity=CLOUD_OVERLAY_MAX_OPACITY,
+        cloud_overlay_blur=CLOUD_OVERLAY_BLUR,
     )
     print(f'wrote {out_path}')
 
diff --git a/sky-cam.conf b/sky-cam.conf
index db03658..c315a73 100644
--- a/sky-cam.conf
+++ b/sky-cam.conf
@@ -499,15 +499,15 @@ MOON_FULL_POST_DELAY_DAYS=3
 # Quarter (half-moon) tuning ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
 # 2 = waits for D-1, D, D+1 nights, runs the morning of D+2.
 MOON_QUARTER_POST_DELAY_DAYS=2
-MOON_QUARTER_MIN_ILLUMINATION=0.40 # ~50% ± 10% covers the day around exact quarter
-MOON_QUARTER_MAX_ILLUMINATION=0.65
+MOON_QUARTER_MIN_ILLUMINATION=0.46 # ±4% of 50%: waxing/waning within 4% of exact quarter
+MOON_QUARTER_MAX_ILLUMINATION=0.54
 
 # Frame-acceptance thresholds — a candidate must beat all three to qualify.
 # Lower = more permissive (accept hazier nights / lower moon).  If you find
 # the script never finds a clear shot, loosen these.
 MOON_MIN_QUALITY=0.55              # 0..1 from moon_detect (roundness × halo × isolation)
 MOON_MIN_ALTITUDE_DEG=15           # below this the moon is in trees / on the horizon
-MOON_FULL_MIN_ILLUMINATION=0.95    # 0..1 — ~95% lit covers ±2 days from exact full
+MOON_FULL_MIN_ILLUMINATION=0.96    # ±4% of 100%: accept 96–100% illumination for full moon
 
 # Output frame.  Default 1920×1080 to match the sunrise videos.
 MOON_OUTPUT_W=1920
@@ -524,6 +524,27 @@ MOON_HEIGHT_PCT=0.92               # moon disk fills this fraction of frame heig
 MOON_DIALAMOON_TARGET_PX=2048      # cached PNG longest side; downsampled on save
 MOON_DIALAMOON_TIMEOUT_SEC=30
 
+# Atmospheric cloud veil ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+# When east verifies a moon sighting, the surrounding sky region (annulus
+# just outside the moon disk) is sampled and scaled to fill the output frame,
+# then blurred heavily so it reads as atmospheric haze rather than an upscaled
+# photo.  The result is blended over the NASA composite at an opacity
+# proportional to how bright that sky patch was — dark clear sky adds nothing,
+# thin clouds add a gentle veil, bright overcast reaches MOON_CLOUD_OVERLAY_MAX_OPACITY.
+#
+# This is the honest solution to "east doesn't capture high-res clouds": we use
+# east's actual sky as an atmospheric fingerprint rather than pretending to
+# photograph cloud detail that isn't there.
+#
+# Opacity scale:
+#   mean sky brightness < 5%   → no veil (clear dark sky)
+#   mean sky brightness   10%  → ~17% veil  (thin haze / airglow)
+#   mean sky brightness ≥ 20%  → MOON_CLOUD_OVERLAY_MAX_OPACITY (40%)
+#
+MOON_CLOUD_OVERLAY_ENABLED=true
+MOON_CLOUD_OVERLAY_MAX_OPACITY=0.40  # 0.0–1.0; never fully obscures the NASA render
+#MOON_CLOUD_OVERLAY_BLUR=0           # blur radius in px; 0 = auto (output_width / 10)
+
 # ── Mattermost — daily sunrise upload ─────────────────────────────────────────
 # mattermost_url, access_token, channel_id go in .env (see bottom of this file).