making moonlight

im making a map which is at night...this means that for outside i would need a moon is there any way of doing this?

You could use an env_sun and set its colour to a slightly
grey/silver colour, but I've a feeling its blinding properties would
make it seem incredibly unrealistic. Worth experimenting with I guess.

An alternative would be to use an env_sprite and find or make something suitable.

Other than that...use a sky with a moon in it?

I haven't tried this idea myself, but what about making a pale white
disc-shaped brush with texture-lighting in the 3D skybox? Of
course, you'll have to set the angle and the pitch of your
light_environment in your map (and your 3D skybox) so that the
moonlight comes from the same direction in the sky as the artificial
moon.

I worry that the moon made this way might not appear realistic though.

I'm fairly sure that would come out wierd, as the moon would move if it
was brush based. Could put it into a huge 3D skybox I guess, but I
still doubt it would give an acceptable effect.

just make your env_light a light blue color, it gives the effect you are wanting nicely.

I think he is asking about how to have a visual representation of the
moon, as opposed to how to get nice evening/night lighting.

Well personally I'd use either a nigth sky with the moon on it (if there is one) or perhaps do the old env_sprite moon- I believe an HL1 level did that. A small image of the moon on an env_sprite was used. But I think having a custom sky is better than using the env_sun tool and setting its brightness really really low so its not very "glarey"

i cant find a sky dark enough to use...any suggestions?