Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory

When:

Friday December 23, 2016 at 6:00 p.m.

Cost:

$1 Suggested Donation per Person

Tonight is Stargazing Night at Frosty Drew Observatory and the forecast is looking good to start, though clouds will eventually take over the sky. There is a bit of variability in the time that clouds will become problematic, with most sources calling for clear and mostly clear skies before 9:00 p.m. This could set us up for a great stargazing session for the first few hours of our night. Considering that the 19% waning crescent Moon does not rise until nearly 2:45 a.m. and the Ursid Meteor Shower is happening tonight, the longer the skies stay clear the better. Certainly worth a quick visit before wrapping up your Holiday furor.

We will open the Observatory and Sky Theatre at 6:00 p.m. In the Observatory, telescopes will showcase a fabulous view of Venus as it shines brightly in the southwestern sky, followed by views of globular clusters, binary stars, and the fabulous Orion Nebula. In the Sky Theatre we will feature our popular slide show of celestial objects photographed at Frosty Drew, alongside warmer temps. We will stay open until clouds chase us out or 11:30 p.m. swings around, whichever comes first.

Overall, tonight could be a fantastic night to be out ringing in the holiday. Clear skies to start, no Moon in sight, Festivus, and the Ursid Meteor Shower, which will bring an additional 10 meteors per hour to your stargazing merriment. Though nice things don’t last and clouds will eventually crash our night, but not before we have a moment with the beautiful starscape. Following us on Twitter (@FrostyDrewOBSY) or Facebook will get you updates from the Observatory including a “Closing up” post when we decide to pack up. So add the cosmos to your list of holiday frivolities and let your geek shine under starry skies at Frosty Drew tonight.

-------------------
Weekly Happenings
Scott MacNeill

Save the date:
New Years Eve Stargazing at Frosty Drew Observatory
Saturday, December 31, 2016 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Frosty Drew Observatory will open for a quick stargazing session to add a little geek to your New Year's Eve revelries. We will open at 7:00 p.m. following the Charlestown bonfire in Ninigret Park (starting around 4:30 p.m.), which is home to Frosty Drew Observatory. Put the stars on your list of things to do this New Year's Eve and send off 2016 with the cosmos.

Happy Holidays from all of us astro-geeks at Frosty Drew Observatory!

-Scott