Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center

When:

Fri, May 3, 2024 8:00 pm - 10:30 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 conditions with fog setting in overnight. The 16% waning crescent Moon will not rise until 3:48 am, leaving super dark sky conditions for us to celebrate. Sadly, the partly cloudy conditions will make for difficult viewing of most objects we would observe on a dark night like tonight. Without the presence of the Moon or brighter planets, we will likely be restricted to star viewing, instead of galaxy, nebulae, and cluster viewing. Regardless, we will give it a go.

We’ll open the Observatory, Sky Theatre, and Science Center at 8:00 pm. In the Observatory we will direct the large 24 inch telescope towards multiple star systems, and carbon stars. There are several carbon stars visible this time of year, and we always have stunning multiple star systems to view. If the sky works out better than expected, we will try to go after some dimmer objects. In the Sky Theatre we will show our regular feature of celestial objects captured at Frosty Drew Observatory. We’ll close up at 10:30 pm.

Overall, tonight looks like we will be largely hindered by partly cloudy sky conditions. Regarding cloud cover, it appears that we will have passing clouds as well as thinner high clouds, which will appear as a very heavy haze. If you’re making the long drive, tonight will be a night to skip, as the best things to view at Frosty Drew will likely not be visible. If you’re in the local area, and are looking for a quick astro-bump, then swing by and lament the clouds with us.

Tickets are NOT required for visitors to attend this event.

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 some space happenings this week in:
A Celebration of Space - May 3, 2024

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 Prepare for Springtime Conditions: The Frosty Drew Observatory is located inside Ninigret Park and borders the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge. Insects and arachnids are a concern when visiting the Frosty Drew campus. We have observed mosquitoes, green head flies, deer flies, ticks, biting ants, and more. Please read the Mosquitoes and Insects section on our Visiting the Observatory page to familiarize yourself with adequate preparation 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.