diff --git a/moon_phase.py b/moon_phase.py
index 9672548..626e242 100755
--- a/moon_phase.py
+++ b/moon_phase.py
@@ -179,6 +179,23 @@ def altaz(when: datetime, lat: float | None = None, lon: float | None = None):
     return float(alt.degrees), float(az.degrees)
 
 
+def sun_events_in_range(
+    search_start: datetime,
+    search_end: datetime,
+) -> list[tuple[datetime, bool]]:
+    """Return every sunrise/sunset transition between search_start and search_end.
+
+    Each item is (utc_datetime, is_rise): is_rise=True for sunrise, False for sunset.
+    Uses skyfield's almanac — accurate to within a minute at the configured location.
+    """
+    _lazy()
+    from skyfield.almanac import find_discrete, sunrise_sunset
+    t0 = _t(search_start)
+    t1 = _t(search_end)
+    times, values = find_discrete(t0, t1, sunrise_sunset(_eph, _observer))
+    return [(t.utc_datetime(), bool(v)) for t, v in zip(times, values)]
+
+
 def sun_altaz(when: datetime, lat: float | None = None, lon: float | None = None):
     """Apparent altitude/azimuth of the sun in degrees as seen from (lat, lon)."""
     _lazy()
diff --git a/moon_phase_monthly.py b/moon_phase_monthly.py
index 6f46a25..5c180ea 100755
--- a/moon_phase_monthly.py
+++ b/moon_phase_monthly.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ 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'
 
-DARK_SKY_SUN_ALT_DEG = float(CONF.get('MOON_DARK_SKY_SUN_ALT_DEG', -6.0))
+DARK_START_MIN = int(CONF.get('MOON_DARK_START_MIN', 30))
 
 
 PHASE_SPEC = {
@@ -212,28 +212,62 @@ def _dark_moon_intervals(
     search_end: datetime,
     moon_phase_mod,
 ) -> list[tuple[datetime, datetime]]:
-    """Sample every 10 min; return contiguous blocks where sky is dark
-    (sun < DARK_SKY_SUN_ALT_DEG) and moon is above MIN_ALTITUDE."""
+    """Return contiguous blocks where the sky is dark and the moon is visible.
+
+    'Dark' means after (sunset + DARK_START_MIN) and before the following
+    sunrise, based on actual computed sunset/sunrise times.  Within each night
+    block we sample every 10 min and keep only the sub-intervals where the
+    moon is above MIN_ALTITUDE_DEG.  Falls back to sampling sun altitude
+    directly if skyfield can't find sunrise/sunset events (e.g. polar summer).
+    """
+    # Get actual sunset/sunrise events; widen the window a bit to catch events
+    # that fall right at the boundary.
+    events = moon_phase_mod.sun_events_in_range(
+        search_start - timedelta(hours=2),
+        search_end + timedelta(hours=2),
+    )
+
+    # Build night periods from real sunset/sunrise times.
+    night_periods: list[tuple[datetime, datetime]] = []
+    for i, (evt_t, is_rise) in enumerate(events):
+        if is_rise:
+            continue  # only care about sunsets here
+        dark_start = evt_t + timedelta(minutes=DARK_START_MIN)
+        # The night ends at the next sunrise (or search_end if none found).
+        next_rise = next((t for t, r in events[i + 1:] if r), None)
+        dark_end = next_rise if next_rise is not None else search_end
+        if dark_start < dark_end:
+            night_periods.append((dark_start, dark_end))
+
+    # Polar fallback: no sunset/sunrise events found.
+    if not night_periods:
+        night_periods = [(search_start, search_end)]
+
+    # Within each night, sample every 10 min to find where moon is high enough.
     step = timedelta(minutes=10)
-    t = search_start
     intervals: list[tuple[datetime, datetime]] = []
-    seg_start = None
-    while t <= search_end:
-        try:
-            sun_alt, _ = moon_phase_mod.sun_altaz(t)
-            moon_alt, _ = moon_phase_mod.altaz(t)
-        except Exception:
-            t += step
+    for night_start, night_end in night_periods:
+        t = max(night_start, search_start)
+        end = min(night_end, search_end)
+        if t >= end:
             continue
-        ok = sun_alt < DARK_SKY_SUN_ALT_DEG and moon_alt >= MIN_ALTITUDE
-        if ok and seg_start is None:
-            seg_start = t
-        elif not ok and seg_start is not None:
-            intervals.append((seg_start, t))
-            seg_start = None
-        t += step
-    if seg_start is not None:
-        intervals.append((seg_start, search_end))
+        seg_start = None
+        while t <= end:
+            try:
+                moon_alt, _ = moon_phase_mod.altaz(t)
+            except Exception:
+                t += step
+                continue
+            ok = moon_alt >= MIN_ALTITUDE
+            if ok and seg_start is None:
+                seg_start = t
+            elif not ok and seg_start is not None:
+                intervals.append((seg_start, t))
+                seg_start = None
+            t += step
+        if seg_start is not None:
+            intervals.append((seg_start, end))
+
     return intervals
 
 
@@ -298,19 +332,23 @@ def run_phase(phase: str, target_utc: datetime | None, cam: str,
     ]
     print(f'east frames in dark+moon window: {len(dark_frames)}')
 
-    # Binary go/no-go: first frame with quality >= MIN_QUALITY wins
-    clear_frame: str | None = None
-    clear_dt: datetime | None = None
+    # Sort by proximity to exact phase moment so the first clear frame we find
+    # is the one temporally closest to the moon being precisely full/quarter.
+    dark_frames.sort(key=lambda x: abs(x[1] - target_utc))
+
+    best_frame: str | None = None
+    best_dt: datetime | None = None
     for fpath, fdt in dark_frames:
         det = detect_moon(fpath)
         if det is not None and det.quality >= MIN_QUALITY:
-            clear_frame = fpath
-            clear_dt = fdt
-            print(f'clear moon: {pathlib.Path(fpath).name}  quality={det.quality:.3f}  '
-                  f'time={_format_local(fdt)}')
+            best_frame = fpath
+            best_dt = fdt
+            offset_min = int((fdt - target_utc).total_seconds() / 60)
+            print(f'best frame: {pathlib.Path(fpath).name}  quality={det.quality:.3f}  '
+                  f'time={_format_local(fdt)}  offset={offset_min:+d} min from exact phase')
             break
 
-    if clear_frame is None:
+    if best_frame is None:
         checked = len(dark_frames)
         print(f'no clear moon in {checked} dark-window frame(s) — skipping (overcast)')
         _notify(
@@ -319,17 +357,17 @@ def run_phase(phase: str, target_utc: datetime | None, cam: str,
         )
         return 0
 
-    illum_pct = round(moon_phase.illumination(clear_dt) * 100)
+    illum_pct = round(moon_phase.illumination(best_dt) * 100)
     print(f'illumination at detection: {illum_pct}%')
 
     if dry_run:
-        print(f'dry-run: would post NASA image for {clear_dt.isoformat()} ({illum_pct}% lit)')
+        print(f'dry-run: would post NASA image for {best_dt.isoformat()} ({illum_pct}% lit)')
         return 0
 
     return _render_and_post(
-        phase, spec, target_utc, clear_dt,
+        phase, spec, target_utc, best_dt,
         cam, dry_run, no_upload, out_path,
-        witness_text=f'sky-cam {cam} — {illum_pct}% lit — {_format_local(clear_dt)}',
+        witness_text=f'sky-cam {cam} — {illum_pct}% lit — {_format_local(best_dt)}',
     )
 
 
diff --git a/sky-cam.conf b/sky-cam.conf
index a4b4227..6737abe 100644
--- a/sky-cam.conf
+++ b/sky-cam.conf
@@ -492,20 +492,29 @@ MOON_TRACK_CRF=24                  # output mp4 CRF
 MOON_TRACK_RETENTION_DAYS=90       # delete tracker mp4s older than this; 0 = forever
 
 # Dark-sky observation window ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
-# The script searches ±24h around the exact phase moment for east frames where:
-#   1. The sun is below MOON_DARK_SKY_SUN_ALT_DEG  (sky is dark)
-#   2. The moon is above MOON_MIN_ALTITUDE_DEG      (moon is visible above trees)
+# The script searches ±24h around the exact phase moment using actual computed
+# sunset and sunrise times for the configured location.  The dark window for
+# each night starts at (sunset + MOON_DARK_START_MIN) and ends at sunrise.
+# Within that window, only frames where the moon is above MOON_MIN_ALTITUDE_DEG
+# are considered.
 #
-# Sun altitude thresholds:
-#   -6  civil twilight  — noticeably dark, bright stars visible   (default)
-#   -12 nautical        — horizon barely visible
-#   -18 astronomical    — fully dark, no twilight glow
+# The east camera faces east, so the moon is visible to it from moonrise through
+# roughly south — typically from dusk through midnight for a full moon.
+# MOON_DARK_START_MIN=30 means the script starts looking 30 min after the sun
+# sets, when the sky is dark enough for a clean moon shot but east can still
+# catch the moon low on the eastern horizon.
 #
-# The first east frame in that window with quality >= MOON_MIN_QUALITY is used.
-# Its exact timestamp drives the NASA Dial-a-Moon fetch (rounded to nearest hour)
-# and the parallactic angle rotation.  The caption shows illumination% at that
+# Of all qualifying frames, the one temporally closest to the exact phase moment
+# is used (not the first one).  This picks the frame when the moon was most
+# precisely full / at quarter.  Its timestamp drives the NASA Dial-a-Moon fetch
+# and the parallactic angle rotation; the caption shows illumination% at that
 # moment.  If no clear frame is found, the month is skipped entirely.
-MOON_DARK_SKY_SUN_ALT_DEG=-6
+#
+# If the phase falls early in the day (e.g. 01:30 local), the ±24h window
+# covers the previous evening through the following dusk — both nights where
+# the moon is essentially full.  If the phase falls just before midnight
+# (e.g. 23:55), both the same evening and the next morning are included.
+MOON_DARK_START_MIN=30
 
 # Post delay ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 # How many days after the exact phase to run the post.  The post delay gives