diff --git a/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.cpp b/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.cpp
index 79c0909a0..8fccf81e6 100644
--- a/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.cpp
+++ b/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.cpp
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ bool lightingEngineViewscreen::lightUpCell(std::vector<lightCell> & target, ligh
         }
         if(ls.radius>0 && dsq>0)
         {
-            if(power<ls.power)
+            if(power<=ls.power)
                 return false;
         }
         //float dt=sqrt(dsq);
@@ -597,17 +597,38 @@ void lightingEngineViewscreen::doSun(const lightSource& sky,MapExtras::MapCache&
         }
     }
 }
+lightCell lightingEngineViewscreen::getSkyColor(float v)
+{
+    if(dayColors.size()<2)
+    {
+        v=abs(fmod(v+0.5,1)-0.5)*2;
+        return lightCell(v,v,v);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        float pos=v*(dayColors.size()-1);
+        int pre=floor(pos);
+        pos-=pre;
+        if(pre==dayColors.size()-1)
+            return dayColors[pre];
+        return dayColors[pre]*(1-pos)+dayColors[pre+1]*pos;
+    }
+}
 void lightingEngineViewscreen::doOcupancyAndLights()
 {
     // TODO better curve (+red dawn ?)
+    
     float daycol;
     if(dayHour<0)
-        daycol= abs((*df::global::cur_year_tick % 1200) - 600.0) / 600.0;
+    {
+        int length=1200/daySpeed;
+        daycol= (*df::global::cur_year_tick % length)/ (float)length;
+    }
     else
-        daycol= abs(fmod(dayHour+12.0f,24.0f)-12.0f)/12.0f; //1->12h 0->24h
+        daycol= fmod(dayHour,24.0f)/24.0f; //1->12h 0->24h
     
-    lightCell sky_col(daycol, daycol, daycol);
-    lightSource sky(sky_col, 15);
+    lightCell sky_col=getSkyColor(daycol);
+    lightSource sky(sky_col, 15);//auto calculate best size
 
     lightSource candle(lightCell(0.96f,0.84f,0.03f),5);
     lightSource torch(lightCell(0.9f,0.75f,0.3f),8);
@@ -970,7 +991,18 @@ int lightingEngineViewscreen::parseSpecial(lua_State* L)
     LOAD_SPECIAL(CITIZEN,matCitizen);
     GETLUANUMBER(engine->levelDim,levelDim);
     GETLUANUMBER(engine->dayHour,dayHour);
-    
+    GETLUANUMBER(engine->daySpeed,daySpeed);
+    lua_getfield(L,-1,"dayColors");
+    if(lua_istable(L,-1))
+    {
+        engine->dayColors.clear();
+        lua_pushnil(L);
+        while (lua_next(L, -2) != 0) {
+            engine->dayColors.push_back(lua_parseLightCell(L));
+            lua_pop(L,1);
+        }
+        lua_pop(L,1);
+    }
     return 0;
 }
 #undef LOAD_SPECIAL
@@ -1037,6 +1069,10 @@ void lightingEngineViewscreen::defaultSettings()
     matCitizen=matLightDef(lightCell(0.8f,0.8f,0.9f),6);
     levelDim=0.2f;
     dayHour=-1;
+    daySpeed=1;
+    dayColors.push_back(lightCell(0,0,0));
+    dayColors.push_back(lightCell(1,1,1));
+    dayColors.push_back(lightCell(0,0,0));
 }
 void lightingEngineViewscreen::loadSettings()
 {
@@ -1075,6 +1111,7 @@ void lightingEngineViewscreen::loadSettings()
                 lua_pushlightuserdata(s, this);
                 lua_pushvalue(s,env);
                 Lua::SafeCall(out,s,2,0);
+                out.print("%d day light colors loaded\n",dayColors.size());
 
                 lua_pushcfunction(s, parseBuildings);
                 lua_pushlightuserdata(s, this);
diff --git a/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.hpp b/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.hpp
index 465d46ce0..e5a9db787 100644
--- a/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.hpp
+++ b/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.hpp
@@ -188,8 +188,11 @@ private:
 public:
 	void lightWorkerThread(void * arg);
 private:
+    lightCell getSkyColor(float v);
     //settings
+    float daySpeed;
     float dayHour; //<0 to cycle
+    std::vector<lightCell> dayColors; // a gradient of colors, first to 0, last to 24
     ///set up sane settings if setting file does not exist.
     void defaultSettings(); 
 
diff --git a/plugins/rendermax/renderer_opengl.hpp b/plugins/rendermax/renderer_opengl.hpp
index 57e81295b..8ba35f5ea 100644
--- a/plugins/rendermax/renderer_opengl.hpp
+++ b/plugins/rendermax/renderer_opengl.hpp
@@ -223,9 +223,9 @@ struct lightCell
     {
         return lightCell(r+other.r,g+other.g,b+other.b);
     }
-    bool operator<(const lightCell& other) const
+    bool operator<=(const lightCell& other) const
     {
-        return r<other.r && g<other.g && b<other.b;
+        return r<=other.r && g<=other.g && b<=other.b;
     }
     float dot(const lightCell& other) const
     {
diff --git a/plugins/rendermax/rendermax.lua b/plugins/rendermax/rendermax.lua
index 4140a8068..74e5fc2d0 100644
--- a/plugins/rendermax/rendermax.lua
+++ b/plugins/rendermax/rendermax.lua
@@ -105,6 +105,12 @@ special.CURSOR=makeMaterialDef({1,1,1},{0.96,0.84,0.03},11, {"flicker"})
 special.CITIZEN=makeMaterialDef(nil,{0.80,0.80,0.90},6)
 special.LevelDim=0.2 -- darkness. Do not set to 0
 special.dayHour=-1 -- <0 cycle, else hour of the day
+special.dayColors={ {0,0,0}, --dark at 0 hours 
+					{0.6,0.5,0.5}, --reddish twilight
+				    {1,1,1}, --fullbright at 12 hours 
+					{0.5,0.5,0.5}, 
+					{0,0,0}} --dark at 24 hours 
+special.daySpeed=1 -- 1->1200 cur_year_ticks per day. 2->600 ticks
 --TODO dragonfire
 --materials