Anybody who loves stargazing, and either lives in St. Louis or can be there on select Fridays this summer and fall, will want to get ready for these special events.
Part of what’s called the “Gateway to the Stars” program, these events will be presented by the National Park Service (NPS) along with its partners, the St. Louis Astronomical Society and Dark Sky Missouri. Each will have a different theme and will begin with a presentation by a guest speaker and then conclude after viewing the night sky with telescopes (weather permitting) according to the NPS.
Here’s the schedule for Gateway to the Stars 2023.
The Great American Eclipses Of 2023 & 2024
Friday, June 23, 7 P.M.–9:30 P.M.
Attendees will learn about the two eclipses that will cross the United States on October 14, 2023, and April 8, 2024, including tips on where and how to see them.
The event will begin in the Education Classroom of the Gateway Arch Visitor Center.
Roadmap To The Night Sky
Friday, July 28, 7 P.M.–9:30 P.M.
Attendees will learn about the constellations, including how to find them in the night sky.
The event will begin in the Education Classroom of the Gateway Arch Visitor Center.
Kids Explorer Night
Friday, August 25, 7 P.M.–9:30 P.M.
This annual event features an opportunity for children 5–12 years old to build — and take home — a working Galileoscope. They can also earn the special Junior Ranger Night Explorer patch.
It’s important to note that space is limited for the Galileoscope workshop. To learn more or to reserve a spot for your kids or grandkids, you can send an email to richard_fefferman @nps.gov or call the NPS.
The event will begin in the Education Classroom of the Gateway Arch Visitor Center.
Autumn Adventure
Friday, September 22, 6:30 P.M.–9:30 P.M.
Attendees will “take a tour” of the autumn night sky and learn about this fall’s celestial events, including the annular solar eclipse on October 14.
The event will take place outside at the Entrance Plaza.
Ghosts Of The Arch Grounds
Friday, October 27, 6:30 P.M.–9:30 P.M.
This popular program features a park ranger who discusses the fortunes — and misfortunes — of people such as Captain Thomas Targee, a fireman who died fighting the Great St. Louis Fire of 1849, and Kenneth Swyers, a daredevil who died attempting a parachute stunt involving the Arch. The cholera epidemic of 1849 will also be discussed.
The event will take place outside at the Entrance Plaza.
Know Before You Go
Gateway Arch National Park commemorates Thomas Jefferson’s vision of a unified continental nation as well as St. Louis’s role as the “Gateway to the American West” during the 19th century. It also preserves the Old Courthouse as the site of the Dred Scott case.
Admission to the Museum at the Gateway Arch is free, while most programs are also free and open to the public.
You can learn more about Gateway Arch National Park, including basic information, directions, things to do there, and even details about accessibility, at Gateway Arch Plan Your Visit.
Be sure to also read our St. Louis and Stargazing content, including:
