diff --git a/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.cpp b/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.cpp
index 05f1d2c96..633871e2a 100644
--- a/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.cpp
+++ b/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.cpp
@@ -253,13 +253,16 @@ void lightingEngineViewscreen::initRawSpecific()
 static size_t max_list_size = 100000; // Avoid iterating over huge lists
 void lightingEngineViewscreen::doOcupancyAndLights()
 {
-    lightSource sun(lightCell(1,1,1),15);
+    // TODO better curve (+red dawn ?)
+    float daycol = abs((*df::global::cur_year_tick % 1200) - 600.0) / 600.0;
+    lightCell sky_col(daycol, daycol, daycol);
+    lightSource sky(sky_col, 15);
+
     lightSource lava(lightCell(0.8f,0.2f,0.2f),5);
     lightSource candle(lightCell(0.96f,0.84f,0.03f),5);
     lightSource torch(lightCell(0.9f,0.75f,0.3f),8);
     rect2d vp=getMapViewport();
-    
-    
+
     int window_x=*df::global::window_x;
     int window_y=*df::global::window_y;
     int window_z=*df::global::window_z;
@@ -277,7 +280,7 @@ void lightingEngineViewscreen::doOcupancyAndLights()
         for(int block_x = 0; block_x < 16; block_x++)
         for(int block_y = 0; block_y < 16; block_y++)
         {
-            cellArray[block_x][block_y] = lightCell(1,1,1);
+            cellArray[block_x][block_y] = sky_col;
         }
         int totalBlank = 0;
         int topLevel = df::global::world->map.z_count-1;
@@ -347,7 +350,7 @@ void lightingEngineViewscreen::doOcupancyAndLights()
         if(!type)
         {
             //unallocated, do sky
-            addLight(tile,sun);
+            addLight(tile,sky);
             continue;
         }
         df::tiletype_shape shape = ENUM_ATTR(tiletype,shape,*type);
@@ -438,7 +441,7 @@ void lightingEngineViewscreen::doOcupancyAndLights()
         }
         if(d->bits.outside && d->bits.flow_size==0)
         {
-            addLight(tile,sun);
+            addLight(tile,sky);
         }
         
     }