American Prairie National Discovery Center
302 W Main Street, Lewistown
406-585-4600
Website
Carter County Museum
306 N. Main Street, Ekalaka
406-775-6886
Website
Fort Peck Interpretive Center
157 Yellowstone Road, Fort Peck
406-526-3493 | 406-526-3411
Website
Huntley Project Museum
770 Railroad Hwy, Huntley
406-348-2533
Website
First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park
342 Ulm-Vaughn Road, Ulm
406-454-5840
Website
WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON:
Check back soon for a list of events / programs for summer 2025! In the meantime, use the astronomical calendar below to start planning your stargazing outings.
Tell us about your stargazing event or program.
FULL MOON YOGA @ THE KETTLEHOUSE IN BONNER
The Full Moon Series aims to honor the moon - to rebalance & align us with the sacred divine feminine & create deeper wellness-centric connections to members of the Missoula/Montana community and across the nation. WHO: ALL ARE WELCOME WHEN: THURSDAY JULY 10TH | 6-8PM Class: 6-7pm | Mingle 7-8pm TEACHER: Elyse Paré This is a donation-based class. All proceeds go directly to the teacher. All attendees receive one complimentary beverage. Please bring your mat and desired yoga props. PAYMENT OPTIONS: Venmo for the instructor will be available at the event or you may pay in cash at the event. Purchases for the artist popup are paid directly to the artists for their works—information provided at the event. For more details email: erin@eademarbor.com
Details
Jul 10
06:00 PM - 08:00 PM
605 Cold Smoke Avenue
FULL MOON YOGA AT KETTLEHOUSE TAPROOM IN BONNER
The Full Moon Series aims to honor the moon - to rebalance & align us with the sacred divine feminine & create deeper wellness-centric connections to members of the Missoula/Montana community and across the nation. WHO: ALL ARE WELCOME WHEN: THURSDAY JULY 10TH | 6-8PM Class: 6-7pm | Mingle 7-8pm TEACHER: Elyse Paré This is a donation-based class. All proceeds go directly to the teacher. All attendees receive one complimentary beverage. Please bring your mat and desired yoga props. PAYMENT OPTIONS: Venmo for the instructor will be available at the event or you may pay in cash at the event. Purchases for the artist popup are paid directly to the artists for their works—information provided at the event. For more details email: erin@eademarbor.com This event series is in with the collaborative of PEACE which works to expand PEACE throughout the state. *This is a diverse & inclusive invitation to all yogis - of all cultures, genders, ages, economic backgrounds Eadem Arbor is A Living Practice of Loving Leadership. www.eademarbor.com PARKING: There is both parking in the front and in the back of the building.
Details
Jul 10
06:00 PM - 08:00 PM
605 Cold Smoke Lane, Bonner MT
Symphony Under the Stars
Mark your calendars and prepare for an evening of local food and drinks, amazing music, and a stunning fireworks show. Symphony Under the Stars is a Helena tradition that began in 2004. Each summer, the Helena Symphony (founded in 1955) comes together to put on a magnificent show on the hill at Carroll College. Each year, the event draws nearly 20,000 people to enjoy an evening of music and fireworks under Montana's iconic Big Sky. The music may not begin until sundown, but spectators make a full day out of the event! Beginning mid-morning, attendees will bring their blankets to the venue, staking out their seats for the evening, creating a large patchwork quilt that spans the hillside. People will then start grilling, pulling out the drinks, and catching up with old friends. If the blankets are being left for the day, organizers ask that they be held down with canned food donations for Helena Food Share! In the past, these donations have reached over 17,000 pounds. It is one of the largest single donation days for the organization. Each year, the organizing team, artistic director, and conductor, come together to put on a show that will not only satisfy the audience, but engage them. They work tirelessly to put together an unforgettable program and continue to outdo themselves year after year. Grab your blankets, canned food and friends, and enjoy an incredible evening at The Symphony Under the Stars.
Details
Jul 19
1601 N Benton Ave
“Dinosaurs and Dark Skies,” Carter County Museum & Medicine Rocks State Park
As part of the festivities leading up to the Carter County Museum’s 13th Annual Dino Shindig, Dinosaurs & Dark Skies invites visitors to Medicine Rocks State Park (Montana’s first International Dark Sky Sanctuary) for a night of stargazing and fossil phosphorescence.
Details
Jul 24
9:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Medicine Rocks State Park - Sunset Loop Trail, 1141 Hwy 7
Yellowstone 101 Series: Auroras with Lynn Powers, NASA/Montana State University
FREE TO ATTEND
Details
Jul 25
06:00 PM -
315 Yellowstone Avenue
Beyond the Big Sky
For one weekend a month from June through September, MLC will open its observatories to the public at sunset. Each evening will start with a presentation from a guest astronomer, after which you’ll have the opportunity to use your newfound knowledge to better appreciate the night skies as we gaze through MLC’s state-of-the art telescopes. Each evening’s presentation will be different. Members of MLC’s staff and volunteers from the Helena Astronomical Society will be on hand to operate the telescopes and answer questions in the observatories.
Details
Jul 25
09:00 PM - 01:00 AM
7653 Canyon Ferry Road
Beyond the Big Sky
For one weekend a month from June through September, MLC will open its observatories to the public at sunset. Each evening will start with a presentation from a guest astronomer, after which you’ll have the opportunity to use your newfound knowledge to better appreciate the night skies as we gaze through MLC’s state-of-the art telescopes. Each evening’s presentation will be different. Members of MLC’s staff and volunteers from the Helena Astronomical Society will be on hand to operate the telescopes and answer questions in the observatories.
Details
Jul 26
09:00 PM - 01:00 AM
7653 Canyon Ferry Road
Yellowstone 101 Series: The Moon and Yellowstone: The Cosmic Connection with Lynn Powers, NASA/Montana State University
FREE TO ATTEND
Details
Aug 2
06:00 PM -
315 Yellowstone Avenue
Stargazing with the Montana Learning Center, Carter County Museum & Medicine Rocks State Park
Join the Carter County Museum and the Montana Learning Center (Helena) at Medicine Rocks State Park for a stargazing program brought to you by Ryan Hannahoe, executive director at the Montana Learning Center.
Details
Aug 13
9:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Medicine Rocks State Park - Sunset Loop Trail, 1141 Hwy 7
Yellowstone 101 Series: Perseid Meteor Shower with Lynn Powers, NASA/Montana State University
FREE TO ATTEND
Details
Aug 13
06:00 PM -
315 Yellowstone Avenue
Beyond the Big Sky
For one weekend a month from June through September, MLC will open its observatories to the public at sunset. Each evening will start with a presentation from a guest astronomer, after which you’ll have the opportunity to use your newfound knowledge to better appreciate the night skies as we gaze through MLC’s state-of-the art telescopes. Each evening’s presentation will be different. Members of MLC’s staff and volunteers from the Helena Astronomical Society will be on hand to operate the telescopes and answer questions in the observatories.
Details
Aug 22
09:00 PM - 01:00 AM
7653 Canyon Ferry Road
Beyond the Big Sky
For one weekend a month from June through September, MLC will open its observatories to the public at sunset. Each evening will start with a presentation from a guest astronomer, after which you’ll have the opportunity to use your newfound knowledge to better appreciate the night skies as we gaze through MLC’s state-of-the art telescopes. Each evening’s presentation will be different. Members of MLC’s staff and volunteers from the Helena Astronomical Society will be on hand to operate the telescopes and answer questions in the observatories.
Details
Aug 23
09:00 PM - 01:00 AM
7653 Canyon Ferry Road
Yellowstone 101 Series: Preserving the Night Sky with Lynn Powers, NASA/Montana State University
FREE TO ATTEND
Details
Sep 19
06:00 PM -
315 Yellowstone Avenue
Beyond the Big Sky
For one weekend a month from June through September, MLC will open its observatories to the public at sunset. Each evening will start with a presentation from a guest astronomer, after which you’ll have the opportunity to use your newfound knowledge to better appreciate the night skies as we gaze through MLC’s state-of-the art telescopes. Each evening’s presentation will be different. Members of MLC’s staff and volunteers from the Helena Astronomical Society will be on hand to operate the telescopes and answer questions in the observatories.
Details
Sep 19
09:00 PM - 01:00 AM
7653 Canyon Ferry Road
Beyond the Big Sky
For one weekend a month from June through September, MLC will open its observatories to the public at sunset. Each evening will start with a presentation from a guest astronomer, after which you’ll have the opportunity to use your newfound knowledge to better appreciate the night skies as we gaze through MLC’s state-of-the art telescopes. Each evening’s presentation will be different. Members of MLC’s staff and volunteers from the Helena Astronomical Society will be on hand to operate the telescopes and answer questions in the observatories.
Details
Sep 20
09:00 PM - 01:00 AM
7653 Canyon Ferry Road
2025 ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR
May
- 3 Conjunction of the Moon and Mars
- 3 Close approach of the Moon and Mars
- 4 Moon at First Quarter
- 6 η-Aquariid meteor shower 2025
- 6 Equinox on Saturn
- 8 η-Lyrid meteor shower 2025
- 12 Full Moon
- 20 Moon at Last Quarter
- 22 Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
- 22 Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
- 23 Close approach of the Moon and Venus
- 23 Conjunction of the Moon and Venus
- 31 Venus at greatest elongation west
June
- 1 Conjunction of the Moon and Mars
- 1 Close approach of the Moon and Mars
- 1 Venus at dichotomy
- 2 Moon at First Quarter
- 10 Daytime Arietid meteor shower 2025
- 11 Full Moon
- 18 Moon at Last Quarter
- 18 Close approach of the Moon, Saturn and Neptune
- 18 Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
- 20 June solstice
- 22 Conjunction of the Moon and Venus
- 27 June Bootid meteor shower 2025
- 28 Mercury at dichotomy
- 29 Conjunction of the Moon and Mars
- 29 Close approach of the Moon and Mars
- 25 Mercury at highest altitude in evening sky
July
- 2 Moon at First Quarter
- 3 The Earth at aphelion
- 3 Mercury at greatest elongation east
- 10 Full Moon
- 12 Saturn enters retrograde motion
- 16 Close approach of the Moon, Saturn and Neptune
- 16 Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
- 17 Moon at Last Quarter
- 20 Close approach of the Moon and M45
- 21 Conjunction of the Moon and Venus
- 28 Close approach of the Moon and Mars
- 28 Conjunction of the Moon and Mars
- 28 Piscis Austrinid meteor shower 2025
- 30 Southern δ-Aquariid meteor shower 2025
- 30 α-Capricornid meteor shower 2025
August
- 7 Venus at highest altitude in morning sky
- 1 Moon at First Quarter
- 9 Full Moon
- 12 Close approach of Venus and Jupiter
- 12 Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter
- 12 Close approach of the Moon, Saturn and Neptune
- 12 Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
- 12 Perseid meteor shower 2025
- 15 Moon at Last Quarter
- 16 Close approach of the Moon and M45
- 18 κ-Cygnid meteor shower 2025
- 19 Mercury at greatest elongation west
- 21 Mercury at highest altitude in morning sky
- 19 Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
- 19 Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
- 20 Conjunction of the Moon and Venus
- 21 Mercury at dichotomy
- 26 Close approach of the Moon and Mars
- 26 Conjunction of the Moon and Mars
- 31 Moon at First Quarter
September
- 1 Aurigid meteor shower 2025
- 7 Full Moon
- 7 Total lunar eclipse
- 8 Close approach of the Moon, Saturn and Neptune
- 8 Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
- 9 September ε-Perseid meteor shower 2025
- 12 Close approach of the Moon and M45
- 14 Moon at Last Quarter
- 16 Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
- 16 Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
- 20 Saturn at opposition
- 21 Partial solar eclipse
- 22 September equinox
- 27 Daytime Sextantid meteor shower 2025
- 29 Moon at First Quarter
October
- 5 October Camelopardalid meteor shower 2025
- 5 Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
- 5 Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
- 6 Full Moon
- 8 Draconid meteor shower 2025
- 9 Close approach of the Moon and M45
- 10 Southern Taurid meteor shower 2025
- 11 δ-Aurigid meteor shower 2025
- 13 Moon at Last Quarter
- 13 Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
- 13 Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
- 18 ε-Geminid meteor shower 2025
- 21 Orionid meteor shower 2025
- 24 Leonis Minorid meteor shower 2025
- 29 Moon at First Quarter
- 29 Mercury at greatest elongation east
November
- 1 Mercury at highest altitude in evening sky
- 2 Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
- 2 Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
- 3 Mercury at dichotomy
- 5 Full Moon
- 6 Close approach of the Moon and M45
- 10 Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
- 10 Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
- 11 Jupiter enters retrograde motion
- 11 Moon at Last Quarter
- 12 Northern Taurid meteor shower 2025
- 17 Leonid meteor shower 2025
- 17 The Pleiades cluster is well placed
- 21 α-Monocerotid meteor shower 2025
- 27 The Hyades cluster is well placed
- 27 Saturn ends retrograde motion
- 27 Moon at First Quarter
- 28 November Orionid meteor shower 2025
- 29 Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
- 29 Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
December
- 3 Close approach of the Moon and M45
- 4 Mercury at dichotomy
- 4 Full Moon
- 4 Mercury at highest altitude in morning sky
- 6 December φ-Cassiopeid meteor shower 2025
- 7 Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
- 7 Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
- 7 Mercury at greatest elongation west
- 9 Monocerotid meteor shower 2025
- 11 Moon at Last Quarter
- 12 σ-Hydrid meteor shower 2025
- 14 Geminid meteor shower 2025
- 16 Comae Berenicid meteor shower 2025
- 19 December Leonis Minorid meteor shower 2025
- 21 December solstice
- 22 Ursid meteor shower 2025
- 26 Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
- 26 Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
- 27 Moon at First Quarter
- 31 Close approach of the Moon and M45