Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center

When:

Fri, May 24, 2024 6:30 pm - 11:00 pm

Cost:

Tickets are required to attend. Please read below.

Welcome to the Frosty Drew Summer 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 we will open around 6:30 p.m. with solar observing. Have you ever seen a sunspot or a solar prominence? How about the Sun’s turbulent chromosphere? Well this is your chance to catch an unforgettable view of our nearest star.

Once the Sun sets, views of the beautiful night sky over Ninigret Park will rock your night. Hang out with our astronomers and telescopes as we showcase the Rings of Saturn, the cratered lunar surface, the Galilean Moons of Jupiter, the polar ice caps of Mars, the phases of Venus, massive stars, speckled star clusters, vast nebulae, distant galaxies, and the best views of the Milky Way in Rhode Island. We stay open until 11:00 pm, sometimes later depending on the night and sky conditions.

Tickets are required for visitors to attend this event. Tickets are free, though a suggested donation of $5 per person, either online or at the event, is very appreciated. Once tickets become available they can be acquired here. Tickets usually become available a day or so before the event. This is due to the weather dependent nature of the event. If you are reading this, then tickets have not been made available yet.

We will update this event listing on the day of the event before 3:00 pm. The update will describe our plans for the night and what to expect regarding weather and astronomical sights.

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.

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.

Read about our Observatory Dome Access Passes, which are available on a first come first serve basis.

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 from dusk - dawn. 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.