Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory

When:

Friday August 7, 2015 at 6:00 p.m.

Cost:

$1 Suggested Donation per Person

Tonight's forecast is calling for partly cloudy to mostly clear skies becoming clear overnight. The 44% waning crescent Moon will rise just before midnight and would have offered dark skies before hitting the eastern horizon. Tonight and this weekend will also bring the annual Seafood Festival to Ninigret Park (home to Frosty Drew Observatory), and with the festival will come an excess of lighting which will hinder dark sky viewing a bit. So I will gladly take cloudier conditions tonight in favor of clear skies on Wednesday for the Perseid Meteor Shower peak. Let's hope the weather agrees.

We plan to open the Observatory and Sky Theatre at 6:00 p.m. tonight. If skies are clear enough, we will have live views of the solar photosphere showcasing the large sunspot, 2396. Otherwise, we will showcase some of the recent images sent back from Pluto by NASA New Horizons. At the moment of sunset, we will direct the primary Observatory telescope towards Venus which is waning extremely fast and is showing off a stunning 3% crescent. Though views will only last upwards of 5-10 minutes, they will be fabulous. After we lose Venus to the horizon, we will switch our views to Saturn and its rings. If skies stay OK, we will check out star clusters, nebulae, and binary stars until midnight. The Nature Center will be open and accepting visitors from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. and the Sky Theatre will feature a showcase of astrophotos shot at Frosty Drew Observatory.

Tonight looks to be an OK night to catch up on all those missed views of Saturn. Though the midnight moonrise and bright lights from the festival will make this a night to hold off the long drive. Though don't sit back, the fabulous Perseid Meteor Shower is just around the corner and we'll open all night Wednesday, August 12th to check out the beautiful show of meteors streaking past, silhouetted by the Milky Was shining brightly overhead.

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Weekly Happenings
Scott MacNeill

Yesterday, August 6, 2015 marked the one year anniversary of the European Space Agency (ESA) Rosetta mission rendezvous with Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P). Remember? The mission that landed on a comet! Well during the last year, Rosetta has dramatically changed the landscape of our knowledge on comets, including the discovery that heavier water exists on Comet 67P than we see in Earth's oceans. This discovery challenges our previous models suggesting water came to Earth on comets. The ride has been quite exhilarating with many notable highs and lows, like the somewhat failed landing attempt of the Philae lander and the re-established communications with the lost lander. As we celebrate the first anniversary of the rendezvous, we gear up for the big moment when Comet 67P reaches perihelion (its closest point to the Sun) on August 13, 2015 at a distance of 115,575,000 miles. Perihelion is an important time for research as we will get a close up view of what is just below the surface of the comet. Interaction with increased heat from the Sun will result in an increase in outflow of gas and dust. This is the first time we will have such a close vantage point to observe this extremely active process. After which, we will continue to study Comet 67P as it moves back out towards Jupiter. Jump on the Google Hangout on August 13th and celebrate one year at Comet 67P with the Rosetta team. In the mean time, catch up on the amazing year spent at Comet 67P with ESA's Year at the Comet.

We are rapidly approaching the peak period of the famous Perseid Meteor Shower. Just five days out and the interwebs are buzzing with proclamations of Perseid awesomeness. This year the peak happens as we approach the new Moon, which is no doubt the best time to observe a meteor shower. Add in that the Perseids are generally considered one of the best meteor showers of the year, and we are setup for an amazing night! Now all we need is for New England to give us clear skies to make it a night to remember. Frosty Drew Observatory will open all night on Wednesday, August 12th until dawn on Thursday, August 13th, weather permitting, to watch the fabulous display of meteor goodness. For optimal meteor viewing, set out around 11:00 p.m., lay on your back facing the top of the sky with your body oriented so your feet are pointing towards the northeast, relax and watch the show. This is not an event to miss! So mark your calendars and grab a blanket, lawn chair, loved one, or just your geeky self and head out to the darkest spot in Rhode Island and revel with us among passing meteors against a background of the Milky Way stretching across the sky. Read about the Perseids. Then get the scoop on our event

-Scott