Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center

When:

Fri, Apr 5, 2024 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Cost:

$5 Suggested Donation Per Person

Welcome to the Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center's Stargazing Nights! Every Friday night (weather permitting) we open our Observatory, Science Center, Sky Theatre, and telescopes to the sky and offer free stargazing and astronomy to anybody interested in observing with us.

Tonight's forecasts are calling for partly cloudy to mostly cloudy sky conditions with some wind. The 6% waning crescent Moon will not rise until 5:23 am, leaving super dark sky conditions for the night. With the forecast for clouds, the sky will certainly be periodic, and the wind will make for tough viewing conditions. Additionally, considering that many of our team members will be traveling today for the coming solar eclipse, only a couple astronomers will be present. As such, we will close a bit earlier tonight.

We’ll open the Observatory, Science Center, and Sky Theatre at 8:00 pm. In the Observatory we’ll observe anything the sky has to offer. Depending on sky conditions we could observe nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies, or we could be restricted to brighter objects. Now that Jupiter has made its way westward, it is setting too early for our large telescope to catch a view. This places us into the long lull of planet observations for the next several months. The Sky Theatre will show our regular feature of celestial objects photographed at Frosty Drew Observatory. The theme of the night will certainly be the coming solar eclipse on Monday. We will close up at 9:30 pm.

Overall, tonight will probably not be all that spectacular. Every forecasting source we use is calling for some level of clouds, which will definitely have a presence at the observatory tonight. If making the long drive, you could be stuck with a cloudy evening. Additionally, with our earlier close time tonight, the long drive may not be worth it. If you are in the local area and are looking for a quick look at the cosmos, then stop in and get excited about the coming solar eclipse with us.

If you are looking for that awesome astronomy thing to do or just want a night out to experience the cosmos under the darkest sky in Rhode Island, then this is your chance.

Take a moment to catch up on the coming Solar Eclipse in:
The Great American Solar Eclipse

Be sure to subscribe to the Frost Drew Observatory mailing list and follow us on Instagram to receive status updates about our Stargazing Nights program and more.

Preparing for Your Visit:

Check out our page on Visiting Frosty Drew Observatory to learn more about what to expect at the Observatory and better help you prepare for your visit.

How to Dress for Winter Conditions: The Frosty Drew Observatory is not climate controlled, and the temperature inside the dome need to match the outside air temperature for a stable telescopic view. Frosty Drew Astronomy Team members dress in layers during the winter and for a very good reason. You should consider doing the same. Please read Dressing for All-Night Winter Stargazing to familiarize yourself with adequate dressing measures.

Please note that we do not allow any white lights on our campus or in Ninigret Park from dusk - dawn, with the exception of low beam headlights while in motion. This is to ensure an equally awesome view of the night sky for all and to allow for the use of light sensitive astronomical equipment. Learn more about why we have this requirement in The Red Light District.