Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center

When:

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

Cost:

This event is passed

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's forecast is calling for mostly clear to clear sky conditions. The Moon will be super bright as we are one day past the full Moon. Right around the time astronomical twilight ends, the 99% waning gibbous Moon will rise. So no dark sky viewing 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, we will turn our telescopes towards the night sky. Binary star systems like Algieba, Castor, Mizar, and Cor Caroli are on our list for tonight. As the night progresses, we will observe the Moon, carbon stars, and anything else we can get our telescopes on. During the small period of darkness that we’ll have, we will attempt a view of a nebula, but most of our night will be too bright to view any objects aside from brighter stars and the Moon. We will close up at 11:00 pm.

Overall, tonight looks to be a fabulous night as far as the weather goes. Though the Moon will be excessively bright which will take away from the view. If you are into super dark sky viewing with thousands of stars, tonight will not be your night. But if the Moon is your crush, then tonight will be a fantastic night to bask in the lunar glow. So set your thoughts on the stars, and your sights to Frosty Drew, and join us for our first Summer Stargazing Nights event of the year.

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.