diff --git a/js/component/scene.js b/js/component/scene.js
index e0b424f..7e743f9 100644
--- a/js/component/scene.js
+++ b/js/component/scene.js
@@ -1571,6 +1571,9 @@ beestat.component.scene.prototype.dispose = function() {
   if (this.sun_glow_texture_ !== undefined) {
     this.sun_glow_texture_.dispose();
   }
+  if (this.sun_core_texture_ !== undefined) {
+    this.sun_core_texture_.dispose();
+  }
   if (this.snow_particle_texture_ !== undefined) {
     this.snow_particle_texture_.dispose();
   }
diff --git a/js/component/scene/light.js b/js/component/scene/light.js
index 67b52bc..e3a8759 100644
--- a/js/component/scene/light.js
+++ b/js/component/scene/light.js
@@ -178,14 +178,19 @@ beestat.component.scene.prototype.add_celestial_lights_ = function() {
   this.sun_visual_group_.layers.set(beestat.component.scene.layer_visible);
   this.celestial_light_group_.add(this.sun_visual_group_);
 
-  const sun_core_geometry = new THREE.SphereGeometry(146, 24, 24);
-  const sun_core_material = new THREE.MeshBasicMaterial({
+  this.sun_core_texture_ = this.create_sun_core_texture_();
+  const sun_core_material = new THREE.SpriteMaterial({
+    'map': this.sun_core_texture_,
     'color': 0xffffff,
     'transparent': true,
+    'depthWrite': false,
+    'depthTest': true,
     'opacity': 1
   });
-  this.sun_core_mesh_ = new THREE.Mesh(sun_core_geometry, sun_core_material);
+  this.sun_core_mesh_ = new THREE.Sprite(sun_core_material);
   this.sun_core_mesh_.userData.is_celestial_object = true;
+  this.sun_core_mesh_.scale.set(320, 320, 1);
+  this.sun_core_mesh_.renderOrder = 12;
   this.sun_visual_group_.add(this.sun_core_mesh_);
 
   this.sun_glow_texture_ = this.create_sun_glow_texture_();
@@ -201,6 +206,7 @@ beestat.component.scene.prototype.add_celestial_lights_ = function() {
   this.sun_glow_sprite_ = new THREE.Sprite(sun_glow_material);
   this.sun_glow_sprite_.userData.is_celestial_object = true;
   this.sun_glow_sprite_.scale.set(1037, 1037, 1);
+  this.sun_glow_sprite_.renderOrder = 11;
   this.sun_visual_group_.add(this.sun_glow_sprite_);
 
   if (this.debug_.sun_light_helper === true) {
@@ -526,6 +532,7 @@ beestat.component.scene.prototype.update_celestial_lights_ = function(date, lati
   const moon_illumination = SunCalc.getMoonIllumination(js_date);
   const moon_fraction = moon_illumination.fraction;
   const moon_phase = moon_illumination.phase;
+  this.current_moon_fraction_ = moon_fraction;
   this.moon_light_.position.set(
     moon_distance * Math.cos(moon_pos.altitude) * Math.sin(rotated_moon_azimuth),    // East-West
     moon_distance * Math.sin(moon_pos.altitude),                                  // Up-Down (altitude)
@@ -658,16 +665,16 @@ beestat.component.scene.prototype.update_celestial_light_intensities_ = function
   }
 
   if (this.moon_sprite_ !== undefined) {
-    const max_moon_intensity = beestat.component.scene.moon_light_intensity;
-    const moon_intensity_ratio = max_moon_intensity > 0
-      ? Math.max(0, Math.min(1, this.moon_light_.intensity / max_moon_intensity))
-      : 0;
-    const moon_horizon_fade = this.moon_visual_horizon_fade_ !== undefined
-      ? this.moon_visual_horizon_fade_
-      : 1;
-    const moon_visual_strength = moon_intensity_ratio * moon_horizon_fade;
-
-    this.moon_sprite_.material.opacity = Math.min(1, 0.2 + (moon_visual_strength * 0.95));
+    // Keep moon visible at all times. This visual opacity is phase-driven and
+    // intentionally decoupled from moon light intensity and horizon fade.
+    const moon_phase_visibility = Math.max(
+      0.25,
+      Math.min(1, Number(this.current_moon_fraction_ === undefined ? 1 : this.current_moon_fraction_))
+    );
+    this.moon_sprite_.material.opacity = Math.min(1, 0.2 + (moon_phase_visibility * 0.6));
+    if (this.moon_visual_group_ !== undefined) {
+      this.moon_visual_group_.visible = true;
+    }
   }
 
   this.update_stars_();
diff --git a/js/component/scene/texture.js b/js/component/scene/texture.js
index bc84309..1be7f56 100644
--- a/js/component/scene/texture.js
+++ b/js/component/scene/texture.js
@@ -69,6 +69,43 @@ beestat.component.scene.prototype.create_sun_glow_texture_ = function() {
 };
 
 
+/**
+ * Create a compact bright sun-core texture.
+ *
+ * @return {THREE.Texture}
+ */
+beestat.component.scene.prototype.create_sun_core_texture_ = function() {
+  const size = 256;
+  const canvas = document.createElement('canvas');
+  canvas.width = size;
+  canvas.height = size;
+
+  const context = canvas.getContext('2d');
+  const gradient = context.createRadialGradient(
+    size / 2,
+    size / 2,
+    0,
+    size / 2,
+    size / 2,
+    size / 2
+  );
+
+  gradient.addColorStop(0.0, 'rgba(255, 255, 255, 1.0)');
+  gradient.addColorStop(0.28, 'rgba(255, 247, 220, 1.0)');
+  gradient.addColorStop(0.56, 'rgba(255, 225, 165, 0.82)');
+  gradient.addColorStop(0.78, 'rgba(255, 190, 110, 0.28)');
+  gradient.addColorStop(1.0, 'rgba(255, 150, 90, 0.0)');
+
+  context.fillStyle = gradient;
+  context.fillRect(0, 0, size, size);
+
+  const texture = new THREE.CanvasTexture(canvas);
+  texture.needsUpdate = true;
+
+  return texture;
+};
+
+
 /**
  * Create a soft star sprite texture.
  *