Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory & Sky Theatre

When:

Tue, Aug 11, 2020 8:30 pm - Thu, Aug 13, 2020 1:00 am

Cost:

Tickets are not available for Wednesday night.

Update: Wednesday, August 12, 2020 10:54 am ==============
Due to tonight's forecast for fog we have decided to cancel Wednesday's event. Tuesday night brought a significantly amount of fog about 4 hours before expected. Tonight's forecast is much more liberal in comparison regarding timings for fog. Regardless, you can still catch a good view of the Perseid shower if you can find a wide open spot without clouds or fog. We will open next on Friday, August 14, 2020 with our Post Perseids Stargazing Nights event.
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Overnight August 11-12th, 12-13th, 2020 will bring the Perseid Meteor Shower peak to the skies over Frosty Drew Observatory, blazing the starscape with up to 100+ meteors per hour. The Perseids are considered by many to be the best meteor shower of the year, and in 2020 we are setup for an okay night of meteor watching. Best case scenario has no Moon for the entire night, though on these nights we will have the 41-31% waning crescent Moon rising around midnight, which will obscure some of the dimmer Perseid meteors. Perseids will start appearing more frequently after 10:00 pm, with the shower really take off shortly after midnight, which is when the Moon becomes somewhat problematic. The peak occurs in the early morning hours of August 12th just before dawn. Certainly an amazing night to be under the wide open, super dark skies at Frosty Drew Observatory.

Join Frosty Drew astronomers at the Observatory on August 11th and 12th, 2020, weather permitting, to witness this spectacular event. We will open the Frosty Drew campus at 8:30 pm. In the Observatory courtyard, telescopes will showcase the night sky until meteors start becoming frequent, usually around 10:00 pm. Telescopic views of Saturn, Jupiter, and more will serve as a mesmerizing start to a great night.

Bring your friends and family. Break out your lawn chairs and blankets, *binoculars, and cameras. Sit under the beautifully clear dark skies of Charlestown, Rhode Island and have a fabulous astronomy experience as shooting stars blaze the sky!

Due to restrictions on the number of people that can be in groups, we have integrated a temporary ticketing system. Tickets can be acquired online only! A link to acquire tickets will be posted on this event page no earlier than the day before the event, if weather is acceptable for viewing. Please DO NOT attempt to circumvent the ticketing process by using the standard donation form on our website. THAT WILL NOT GET YOU A TICKET OR ACCESS TO THIS EVENT! A ticket is required for admission at tonight’s event!

Important information about tickets:

- A maximum of 200 tickets will be available for each night depending on telescope availability.
- A ticket is required for each person in your party / group that is over 4 years of age.
- Tickets will not be available on site. This means you need to arrive with your ticket.
- Tickets will be checked on the access road into Ninigret Park, either electronically or physically.
- The name on the ticket must match the name of the ticket holder.
- If you do not have a ticket, you will not be granted admission. Don't just show up!
- Tickets are non-refundable.
- This event is weather dependent and cancellations will be posted on the day of the event.
- Though tickets have different times listed, all ticket holders can stay on the campus for the entire duration of the event. The times are to mitigate the formation of a long admission line.
- We cannot guarantee the weather, nor can we guarantee that you will see what you may expect.

Wednesday's event has been cancelled due to inclement weather.

When visiting, please be aware of signage and social distancing markers as well as flow indicators. If you are experiencing any symptoms of any contagion, stay home and postpone your visit, even if that means forfeiture of your ticket. Visitors who are visibly displaying symptoms of a contagion will not be granted admission. This is just how it is for now, so take your allergy pill before departing for Frosty Drew Observatory!

Before visiting we always recommend reading 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. Though in particular you should read our Equipment Usage TOS because this will be in full force and inability to follow will result in the visitor or party being required to leave. Please familiarize yourself with our visiting info. I could prevent a potentially embarrassing moment.

Take a minute to read up on visiting the Frosty Drew Observatory and catch up on what to / not to bring and how to adequately prepare for a comfortable night of meteor watching.

See you under the Perseids!

*Binoculars are welcome but are not needed to view the meteor shower. This event is a weather dependent event. Cloudy skies, fog, and / or rain will cancel this event.