Nanih Waiya is a state park in Winston County, Mississippi. The nearest town is Philadelphia, about 23 km (14 mi) away (Nanih Waiya lies NE of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Nanih Waiya (alternately spelled Nunih Waya; Choctaw for 'slanting mound') is an ancient platform mound in southern Winston County, Mississippi, constructed by Indigenous people during the Middle Woodland period, about 300 to 600 CE. Since the 17th century, the Choctaw and Chickasaw have venerated Nanih Waiya mound and a nearby cave as their sacred origin location. The earthwork mound of Nanih Waiya is about 25 feet (7.6 m) tall, 140 feet (43 m) wide, and 220 feet (67 m) long. Evidence suggests it was originally a larger platform mound, which has eroded into the present shape. At one time, it was bounded on three sides by a circular earthwork enclosure about ten feet tall, which encompassed one square mile. The Choctaw lost control of this property during the 1830s and period of their removal to Indian Territory.From the Wikipedia article “Nanih Waiya”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Nanih Waiya the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:00 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:49 AM | 61° ENE | 8:08 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 89° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:55 AM | 118° ESE | 4:54 PM | 242° WSW | 34° | 9h 59m |
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 | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:39 PM | 10h 13m |
| February | 6:15 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:07 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:00 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 51m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 19m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 07m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 23m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:28 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 6:01 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 28m |
| December | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 00m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Nanih Waiya, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:25 AM – 5:15 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:36 AM – 5:36 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:33 AM – 4:53 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:34 PM – 4:14 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:49 PM – 3:59 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:45 PM – 2:35 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:13 PM – 12:33 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:27 PM – 10:27 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:46 PM – 8:36 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.8 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (61%). July 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 | 76 | 81 | 85 | 90 | 101 | 107 | 105 | 107 | 104 | 103 | 90 | 80 |
| Low °F | 13 | 20 | 19 | 32 | 41 | 54 | 59 | 54 | 43 | 31 | 18 | 19 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 6.1 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 4.2 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 5.4 |
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
- 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.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Nanih Waiya, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Nanih Waiya?
What time is golden hour at Nanih Waiya?
Where does the sun rise and set at Nanih Waiya?
Can you see the Milky Way from Nanih Waiya?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Nanih Waiya?
How far is Nanih Waiya from Philadelphia?
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.