Madira Bickel Mound State Archeological Site is a state park in Manatee County, Florida. It sits roughly 4.5 km (2.8 mi) NW of Memphis. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Madira Bickel Mound State Archaeological Site is an archaeological site on Terra Ceia Island in northwestern Palmetto, Florida, United States. It is located on Bayshore Drive, west of U.S. 19, a mile south of I-275. On August 12, 1970, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It is also a Florida State Park. The 10-acre (0.040 km2) site was the first Native American location in Florida to be designated as a State Archaeological Site.From the Wikipedia article “Madira Bickel Mound State Archaeological Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Madira Bickel Mound State Archeological Site the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 86° in summer but only 39° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:35 AM | 90° E | 7:42 PM | 270° W | 62° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:36 AM | 63° ENE | 8:29 PM | 297° WNW | 86° | 13h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:20 AM | 89° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 63° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 116° ESE | 5:41 PM | 244° WSW | 39° | 10h 24m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:58 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 35m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 14m |
| March | 7:17 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:12 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:03 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:24 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 49m |
| May | 6:17 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 30m |
| June | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 52m |
| July | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 43m |
| August | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 08m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:47 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:07 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 32m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 48m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 25m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Madira Bickel Mound State Archeological Site, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 34° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| February | 4:41 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.0 | 20° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:47 AM – 6:17 AM | 2.5 | 30° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:46 AM – 5:36 AM | 3.8 | 34° | SE → S |
| May | 11:50 PM – 5:10 AM | 5.3 | 34° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:00 PM – 5:00 AM | 7.0 | 34° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:58 PM – 3:28 AM | 5.5 | 34° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:33 PM – 1:33 AM | 4.0 | 34° | S → SW |
| September | 8:55 PM – 11:25 PM | 2.5 | 31° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:20 PM – 9:30 PM | 1.2 | 22° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.43 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (67%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 81 | 84 | 89 | 92 | 95 | 96 | 94 | 93 | 92 | 89 | 86 | 83 |
| Low °F | 30 | 35 | 40 | 47 | 60 | 70 | 73 | 73 | 65 | 47 | 42 | 36 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 9.1 | 7.3 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 2.4 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this state park
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Madira Bickel Mound State Archeological Site, closest first.
State Park
Botanical Garden
State Park
Beach
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
LighthouseNational Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Madira Bickel Mound State Archeological Site?
What time is golden hour at Madira Bickel Mound State Archeological Site?
Where does the sun rise and set at Madira Bickel Mound State Archeological Site?
Can you see the Milky Way from Madira Bickel Mound State Archeological Site?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Madira Bickel Mound State Archeological Site?
How far is Madira Bickel Mound State Archeological Site from Memphis?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.