1,421. When to Light the Menorah

Hilchos Megillah v’Chanukah 4:4

If a lamp has multiple receptacles, it can be used by more than one person. Regarding a bowl of oil surrounded with wicks, if one covers it with a utensil, then each wick counts as a separate candle. If it is not so covered, then it is considered one large fire and cannot be used even as one candle.

Hilchos Megillah v’Chanukah 4:5

Chanukah candles may not be lit before sunset, but only at sunset. One should not light neither later nor earlier. If one forgot to light, or even if he intentionally didn’t light at sunset, then he may light later so long as there are still people on the streets, which is approximately a half-hour later. After this, one may no longer light. A lamp should be filled with enough oil so that it will continue burning until there are no more people on the streets. If someone lit the menorah and it got extinguished, he need not re-light it. Once a menorah has burned past the time that there are people in the streets, one may even actively extinguish it if he so desires.