Public Telescope Viewing
Look to the skies!
Free public telescope viewing has been offered on the grounds of the McDonnell Planetarium for over 60 years! This provides our community the opportunity to look through a variety of telescopes, with the aid of experienced amateur astronomers, from our Planetarium team and local astronomy clubs.
Nighttime sky viewing and daytime solar observing are available regularly at the McDonnell Planetarium, as well as in conjunction with phenomena of current astronomical importance. Please note that all telescope sessions are weather dependent and are subject to cancellation.
Public telescope viewing at the McDonnell Planetarium is made possible thanks to partnerships with local astronomy clubs, including the St. Louis Astronomical Society and the River Bend Astronomy Club.
Photos by Ken More
Star Parties
1st Friday of most months (weather permitting)
Timing varies seasonally
Nighttime public telescope viewing is offered monthly through public Star Parties. Beginning at dusk, a variety of telescopes are available on the grounds of the McDonnell Planetarium and operators will be on hand to answer questions and guide observing.
Due to the upgrade of the Orthwein Auditorium, the free Monthly Sky Lecture will not be offered between February – July 2026.
Solar Sundays
3rd Sunday of each month through till Memorial Day (weather permitting)
11:00am – 3:00pm
Daytime solar telescope viewing is provided outside the McDonnell Planetarium as part of our regularly scheduled Solar Sundays program. A variety of solar telescopes and safe viewing techniques are used to provide guests safe views of the Sun, including the ability to see features like sunspots and solar prominences.
Solar Sunday takes place on scheduled Sundays from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM (weather permitting). Solar Sunday is scheduled only on the third Sunday of the month.
All events are weather dependent and are subject to sudden cancellation.
Note: In addition to Solar Sundays, spontaneous solar telescope viewing is offered by Planetarium Educators on an unscheduled basis during normal operating hours as a facilitated gallery activity.
For anyone who couldn’t resist peeking at April’s total solar eclipse, now you can safely do it at the Saint Louis Science Center’s Solar Sundays! | via Living St. Louis #STEM #SolarSunday Posted by Nine PBS on Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Pop-Up Star Parties
In response to celestial events of public interest, the Planetarium may occasionally host additional observing events outside of regularly scheduled PTV. Examples of astronomical events that could trigger a pop-up star party include eclipses, exceptional comets, conjunctions, occultations, novae, etc.
Check the calendar above and the Science Center’s social media accounts for any pop-up observing events.
To learn more about current events in the St. Louis area sky, visit our weekly Night Sky Update.
Location
Public Telescope Viewings happen outside the McDonnell Planetarium Entrance. You can park at the Planetarium and walk near the entrance for these events.
