Missouri's Darkest Skies

Review of sky brightness measurements to find the darkest state parks in Missouri

Where are the darkest skies in Missouri?

We are often asked where to find the darkest skies in Missouri. 

We took a simple approach to answer this question by looking at sky brightness measurements for Missouri State Parks.  We extracted sky brightness measurements from the "World Atlas 2015" located at http://lightpollutionmap.info.  One of the most important readings from this map is the Sky Quality Meter ("SQM") measurement.  The SQM measures sky brightness in magnitudes per square arc second, it's the same unit used to describe the surface brightness of deep-sky objects. The larger the number, the darker the sky.  

Based on this report from the World Atlas 2015 map, Missouri still has nearly 60 state parks with an SQM of 21.00 or higher.  To place this in perspective, IDA requires a reading of 21.20 or higher for a park to be considered a candidate for an "International Dark Sky Park" designation.  This provides a basis of hope that some of our parks in Missouri might become qualified as an "International Dark Sky Place" under IDA's IDSP program.

Data Table of Missouri Parks:

RegionTypeNameLatitudeLongitudeSQMBortleElev
CentralStateAnnie and Abel Van Meter State39.25846-93.2623321.843235
CentralStateArrow Rock State Historic Site39.06567-92.9424021.743219
CentralStateBoone's Lick State Historic Si39.07839-92.8809021.813209
CentralStateBothwell Lodge State Historic 38.79474-93.2225621.354257
CentralStateClark's Hill/Norton State Hist38.55777-92.0300820.844172
CentralStateFinger Lakes State Park39.08709-92.3197621.004224
CentralStateJewell Cemetery State Historic38.92003-92.3361718.956225
CentralStateKaty Trail, McKittrick Trailhe38.73421-91.4430921.444159
CentralStateMissouri State Museum38.57931-92.1727319.136180
CentralStateRock Bridge Memorial State Par38.87108-92.3151820.265233
CentralStateSappington Cemetery State Hist39.03320-93.0071021.803225
Kansas CityStateBattle of Island Mound State H38.23685-94.4398221.693267
Kansas CityStateBattle of Lexington State Hist39.19035-93.8803720.614256
Kansas CityStateBig Lake SP40.08624-95.3428121.743270
Kansas CityStateConfederate Memorial SHS39.09666-93.7244621.074244
Kansas CityUSAHarry S Truman National Histor39.09375-94.4233918.517318
Kansas CityStateKaty Trail SP - Rock Island Sp38.68773-90.6777719.675190
Kansas CityStateKnob Noster SP38.75304-93.5773820.195249
Kansas CityStateLewis and Clark SP39.53901-95.0523021.214252
Kansas CityStateThomas Hart Benton Home and St39.06234-94.5978117.678290
Kansas CityStateWallace SP39.65598-94.2165421.514298
Kansas CityStateWatkins Woolen Mill SP and SHS39.40214-94.2583820.884277
Kansas CityStateWeston Bend SP39.38852-94.8718420.774285
LakesStateBennett Spring SP37.70376-92.8402021.524344
LakesStateBig Sugar Creek SP36.62140-94.2943321.584357
LakesStateBryant Creek SP36.83241-92.4270821.932265
LakesUSAGeorge Washington Carver Natio36.98646-94.3548121.154328
LakesStateHa Ha Tonka SP37.96698-92.7603921.134320
LakesStateHarry S Truman SP38.27775-93.4436821.624215
LakesStateLake of the Ozarks SP38.07459-92.5722221.524231
LakesStatePomme de Terre SP37.87986-93.3194621.614281
LakesStatePrairie SP37.52392-94.5675721.753274
LakesStateRoaring River SP36.58760-93.8195321.624423
LakesStateStockton SP37.61411-93.7500121.833265
LakesStateTable Rock SP36.58627-93.3056420.544281
NortheastStateBattle of Athens SHS40.58492-91.6964921.843204
NortheastStateCrowder SP40.08778-93.6678921.424234
NortheastStateCuivre River SP39.03556-90.9295521.204212
NortheastStateGen. John J. Pershing Boyhood 39.78813-93.1693421.534248
NortheastStateGraham Cave SP38.90938-91.5724121.604226
NortheastStateIliniwek Village SHS40.42938-91.5578721.634157
NortheastStateLocust Creek Covered Bridge SH39.79229-93.2340221.863214
NortheastStateLong Branch SP39.77485-92.5262421.414254
NortheastStateMark Twain Birthplace SHS39.48862-91.7856721.873181
NortheastStateMark Twain SP39.48800-91.7906021.873181
NortheastStatePershing SP39.76700-93.2213321.833219
NortheastStateThousand Hills SP40.18533-92.6466921.264274
NortheastStateUnion Covered Bridge SHS39.43310-92.1027821.853224
NortheastStateWakonda SP40.00680-91.5187021.274162
SoutheastStateBig Oak Tree State Park36.64084-89.2926621.78390
SoutheastStateBollinger Mill State Historic 37.36815-89.8029021.454121
SoutheastStateCurrent River State Park37.33169-91.4202121.962286
SoutheastStateDillard Mill State Historic Si37.72099-91.2060321.883305
SoutheastStateEcho Bluff State Park37.31612-91.4113721.962218
SoutheastStateElephant Rocks State Park37.65445-90.6878221.624389
SoutheastStateGrand Gulf State Park36.54392-91.6439321.883258
SoutheastStateHunter-Dawson State Historic S36.59636-89.5234220.69493
SoutheastStateJohnson's Shut-Ins State Park37.54891-90.8484621.892263
SoutheastStateLake Wappapello State Park36.94217-90.3384721.753117
SoutheastStateMontauk State Park37.46091-91.6779621.912377
SoutheastStateMorris State Park36.53782-90.0384821.46489
SoutheastStateOnondaga Cave State Park38.06203-91.2361921.703265
SoutheastUSAOzark National Scenic Riverway37.18984-91.2769221.952181
SoutheastStateRoger Pryor Pioneer Backcountr37.30371-91.4040221.962293
SoutheastStateSam A. Baker State Park37.25967-90.5249621.912171
SoutheastStateTaum Sauk Mountain State Park37.57231-90.7272321.833541
SoutheastStateTowosahgy State Historic Site36.69399-89.2350621.78390
SoutheastStateTrail of Tears State Park37.43879-89.4809821.304164
St. LouisStateCastlewood State Park38.54870-90.5449419.396161
St. LouisStateDr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial 38.61743-90.6902719.995203
St. LouisStateEdward "Ted" and Pat Jones-Con38.83617-90.1259919.216128
St. LouisUSAGateway Arch National Park38.62463-90.1848817.389127
St. LouisStateHawn State Park37.83083-90.2291521.644206
St. LouisStateMeramec State Park38.20559-91.0970321.384193
St. LouisStateRobertsville State Park38.42704-90.8119920.914174
St. LouisStateRoute 66 State Park38.50285-90.5934219.945219
St. LouisStateSt. Francois State Park37.97396-90.5370121.184281
St. LouisStateSt. Joe State Park37.80745-90.5068820.804314
St. LouisStateWashington State Park38.08393-90.6833521.394256

Our Mission

The mission of DarkSky Missouri is to raise awareness about light pollution issues in Missouri, promote quality outdoor lighting, protect our natural environment and our beautiful night sky, and educate the public how reducing light pollution can lower energy costs.