diff --git a/src/features/map/types.ts b/src/features/map/types.ts
index b4009ca..c96b184 100644
--- a/src/features/map/types.ts
+++ b/src/features/map/types.ts
@@ -108,7 +108,10 @@ export const PACKET_FLOW_HOP_MS = 480; // ms the dot takes to cross one hop segm
 export const PACKET_FLOW_FLASH_MS = 900; // a crossed node's flash decays back to dim over this
 export const PACKET_FLOW_TRAIL_FADE_MS = 1000; // the dashed trail fades once the dot reaches the end
 export const PACKET_FLOW_MAX = 120; // cap on concurrent packet animations (busy-feed guard)
-export const LIVE_DIM_OPACITY = 0.18; // idle node/cluster opacity while Live mode is on
+export const LIVE_DIM_OPACITY = 0.18; // idle individual-node opacity while Live mode is on
+// Clusters dim further: many overlapping semi-transparent hexagons composite toward opaque, so a
+// dense cluster field stops being see-through. A lower per-cluster alpha keeps the stack translucent.
+export const LIVE_CLUSTER_DIM_OPACITY = 0.07;
 
 export const CLUSTER_RADIUS = 50; // px
 // Keep clustering alive across the whole reachable zoom range (default max is 22). maplibre drops
diff --git a/src/features/map/useMapPacketFlow.ts b/src/features/map/useMapPacketFlow.ts
index 2c4d3cd..92e5a00 100644
--- a/src/features/map/useMapPacketFlow.ts
+++ b/src/features/map/useMapPacketFlow.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
   PACKET_FLOW_TRAIL_FADE_MS,
   PACKET_FLOW_MAX,
   LIVE_DIM_OPACITY,
+  LIVE_CLUSTER_DIM_OPACITY,
   NODES_SOURCE_ID,
   NODES_POINT_LAYER_ID,
   NODES_CLUSTER_LAYER_ID,
@@ -195,7 +196,7 @@ export function useMapPacketFlow(
       map.setPaintProperty(NODES_POINT_LAYER_ID, "text-opacity", enabled ? 0 : LABEL_OPACITY);
     }
     if (map.getLayer(NODES_CLUSTER_LAYER_ID)) {
-      map.setPaintProperty(NODES_CLUSTER_LAYER_ID, "icon-opacity", enabled ? LIVE_DIM_OPACITY : 1);
+      map.setPaintProperty(NODES_CLUSTER_LAYER_ID, "icon-opacity", enabled ? LIVE_CLUSTER_DIM_OPACITY : 1);
       map.setPaintProperty(NODES_CLUSTER_LAYER_ID, "text-opacity", enabled ? 0 : 1);
     }
   }, [mapRef, isReady, enabled, themeKey]);