diff --git a/src/main/java/codes/ztereohype/example/mixin/MixinStarRendering.java b/src/main/java/codes/ztereohype/example/mixin/MixinStarRendering.java
index 48c50c1..b58e832 100644
--- a/src/main/java/codes/ztereohype/example/mixin/MixinStarRendering.java
+++ b/src/main/java/codes/ztereohype/example/mixin/MixinStarRendering.java
@@ -1,11 +1,8 @@
 package codes.ztereohype.example.mixin;
 
 import codes.ztereohype.example.NicerSkies;
-import codes.ztereohype.example.core.NebulaSeedManager;
-import com.mojang.blaze3d.systems.RenderSystem;
 import com.mojang.blaze3d.vertex.*;
 import com.mojang.math.Matrix4f;
-import lombok.Setter;
 import net.minecraft.client.Camera;
 import net.minecraft.client.multiplayer.ClientLevel;
 import net.minecraft.client.renderer.GameRenderer;
@@ -42,7 +39,7 @@ public abstract class MixinStarRendering {
 
     @Inject(at = @At("HEAD"), method = "tick")
     private void tickStars(CallbackInfo ci) {
-        if (!NicerSkies.config.getTwinklingStars()) return;
+        if (!NicerSkies.config.getTwinklingStars() && NicerSkies.skyManager.isInitialized()) return;
         if (this.level.getStarBrightness(0) < 0.0F) return;
         NicerSkies.skyManager.tick(ticks, starBuffer);
     }
@@ -63,12 +60,6 @@ public abstract class MixinStarRendering {
     )
     private void drawSkybox(PoseStack poseStack, Matrix4f projectionMatrix, float partialTick, Camera camera, boolean bl, Runnable skyFogSetup, CallbackInfo ci, FogType fogType, Vec3 vec3, float f, float g, float h, BufferBuilder bufferBuilder, ShaderInstance shaderInstance, float[] fs, float i, Matrix4f matrix4f2, float k, int r, int s, int m, float t, float o, float p, float q) {
         if (!NicerSkies.config.getNebulas() || !NicerSkies.skyManager.isInitialized()) return;
-        float alpha = 2 * level.getStarBrightness(partialTick) * (1.0F - this.level.getRainLevel(partialTick));
-        RenderSystem.setShaderColor(1.0F, 1.0F, 1.0F, alpha);
         NicerSkies.skyManager.getSkybox().render(poseStack, projectionMatrix);
     }
-
-//    public void setStarBuffer(VertexBuffer starBuffer) {
-//        this.starBuffer = starBuffer;
-//    }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/codes/ztereohype/example/sky/nebula/Skybox.java b/src/main/java/codes/ztereohype/example/sky/nebula/Skybox.java
index 8660d9c..d20ed1a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/codes/ztereohype/example/sky/nebula/Skybox.java
+++ b/src/main/java/codes/ztereohype/example/sky/nebula/Skybox.java
@@ -6,8 +6,11 @@ import com.mojang.blaze3d.systems.RenderSystem;
 import com.mojang.blaze3d.vertex.*;
 import com.mojang.math.Matrix4f;
 import lombok.Getter;
+import net.minecraft.client.Minecraft;
+import net.minecraft.client.multiplayer.ClientLevel;
 import net.minecraft.client.renderer.GameRenderer;
 import net.minecraft.client.renderer.texture.DynamicTexture;
+import net.minecraft.util.Mth;
 
 public class Skybox {
     public static final int RESOLUTION = 512;
@@ -25,12 +28,17 @@ public class Skybox {
     public void render(PoseStack poseStack, Matrix4f projectionMatrix) {
         RenderSystem.setShader(GameRenderer::getPositionTexShader);
         RenderSystem.setShaderTexture(0, skyTexture.getId());
-        RenderSystem.setShaderColor(1.0F, 1.0F, 1.0F, NicerSkies.config.getNebulaStrength());
+
+        float alpha = getSkyboxBrightness(Minecraft.getInstance().level);
+
+        RenderSystem.setShaderColor(1.0F, 1.0F, 1.0F, alpha);
 
         this.skyboxBuffer.bind();
-        this.skyboxBuffer.drawWithShader(poseStack.last().pose(), projectionMatrix, GameRenderer.getPositionTexShader());
+        this.skyboxBuffer.drawWithShader(poseStack.last()
+                                                  .pose(), projectionMatrix, GameRenderer.getPositionTexShader());
     }
 
+    // todo: maybe multithread the hecc out of the generation to sped up the loading time
     public void paint(SkyboxPainter painter) {
         NativeImage skyNativeTex = this.skyTexture.getPixels();
 
@@ -151,4 +159,16 @@ public class Skybox {
         skyboxBuffer.bind();
         skyboxBuffer.upload(skyboxBuilder.end());
     }
+
+    private float getSkyboxBrightness(ClientLevel level) {
+        float config = NicerSkies.config.getNebulaStrength();
+
+        float timeOfDay = level.getTimeOfDay(0);
+        float nightness = 1.0F - (Mth.cos(timeOfDay * (float) (Math.PI * 2)) * 4.0F + 0.5F);
+        nightness = Mth.clamp(nightness, 0.0F, 1.0F);
+
+        float rain = level.getRainLevel(0);
+
+        return nightness * (1f - rain) * config;
+    }
 }