Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center

When:

Fri, Nov 25, 2022 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Cost:

This Event has SOLD OUT

update: November 25,2022 5:15pm:

Due to every weather source incorrectly forecasting the rain and time we are unsure if it will be dry enough to open the observatory roof. If that is the case, we will fail over to our cloudy night program which will offer access to the sky theater, science center and tours of the observatory. We will make a best effort attempt.
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Welcome to the Frosty Drew Observatory Stargazing Nights! Every Friday night (weather permitting) we open our Observatory, Science Center, Sky Theatre, and telescopes to the skies and offer free stargazing and astronomy to anybody interested in observing with us.

Even though today’s weather was a bit wet and overcast, the sky will clear out around 7:00 pm, making for a beautiful night under thousands of stars. Being that the New Moon occurred on Wednesday evening, November 23, 2022, tonight’s Moon will not even make it into our session. Which will offer up super dark sky conditions for our entire night. Additionally, now that all the naked eye outer planets are visible in the night sky, we will certainly have a beautiful night with the planets.

We will open the Observatory, Courtyard, Science Center, and Sky Theatre at 7:00 pm. In the Observatory, our primary 24 inch telescope will hunt down nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters. On our list is the Messier 27 white dwarf star, The Pegasus Globular Cluster, The Ghost of Mirach, The Andromeda Galaxy, and S-Cepheus – a deep red carbon star. Courtyard telescopes will showcase the planets tonight, with Jupiter offering views of the Great Red Spot, and 2-4 Galilean Moons – as the night progresses, Saturn will be beautiful for earlier visitors, and Mars will rock the socks of those who stick around until later in the night. In the Science Center, we will have exhibits on display including a 12 foot wide panorama of the Apollo 11 landing site on the Moon, Project Comet Chaser – a rocket that has actually been to space, Project Messier – A Frosty Drew Project to re-image the entire Messier catalog, and photos of select objects captured by the Frosty Drew Astronomy Team. In the Sky Theatre we will show an onscreen feature of images captured by the Frosty Drew Astronomy Team. The Observatory and Science Center will close up at 10:00 pm.

Overall, tonight has the makings for another fabulous night! We will have mostly clear sky conditions, and temps will be in the mid 40’s – much warmer than most of this past week. It could be a bit windy, so dressing for winter conditions should be a priority. If making the long drive, we think tonight will be worth it as it will be mostly clear with no Moon. But for those looking to geek out with the Milky Way, it should be noted that it is visible this time of year, but very dim compared to what we have in the spring and summer, which is a product of Earth’s position around the Sun. Though the coming winter starscape is stunning, and well worth a view. So put the cosmos on your list of holiday weekend festivities and have a moment with your inner geek at Frosty Drew tonight.

Tickets are required for visitors to attend this event. Tickets are free, though a suggested donation of $5 per person, at the event or online, is very appreciated.

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

Be sure to subscribe to the Frost Drew Observatory mailing list, follow us on Twitter (@FrostyDrewOBSY) or on Facebook 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.

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 bean 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.