Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center

When:

Fri, Feb 9, 2024 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Cost:

$5 Suggested Donation Per Person

Welcome to the Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center's 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 forecasts are calling for increasing clouds with fog moving in overnight. Timings of incoming clouds will allow for clearer views earlier in our night, with a notable change in sky conditions happening after 8:00 pm. Being that the new Moon occurs at 6:01 pm EST tonight, we will have super dark sky conditions present. Jupiter will benefit from some cloud cover as it is super bright, but we will eventually lose site of nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters, which are all excellent targets on nights without the Moon.

The Observatory, Science Center, and Sky Theatre will open at 7:00 pm this evening. In the Observatory, the large 24 inch telescope will show off views of the Orion Nebula before clouds start to move in. The Orion Nebula looks amazing in the large Frosty Drew telescope! Up next is Jupiter with the Great Red Spot positioned perfectly for viewing. Additionally, all four of Jupiter’s Galilean Moons will be in view tonight. NGC 2392 – a young white dwarf star is on our list as well as the Messier 67 open star cluster, Messier 82 starburst galaxy, and perhaps a couple of carbon stars. In the Sky Theatre we will show our regular feature of celestial objects photographed at Frosty Drew Observatory. Our closing time tonight is 10:00 pm.

Overall, tonight has probably the best potential we have seen yet in 2024. The sky will start off clear, and clouds will slowly move in during our event. If making the long drive, it is risky because cloud cover could get heavy, though the prospect of a super dark sky is too good to overlook. We do expect clouds to move in after 8:00 pm, but we aren’t expecting clouds heavy enough to obscure Jupiter, so we have a fall back during the cloudy times. Regardless, we will make the best with what we have, so bundle up and head out to the observatory for a mid-winter’s night under the stars.

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.

How to Dress for Winter Conditions: The Frosty Drew Observatory is not climate controlled, and the temperature inside the dome need to match the outside air temperature for a stable telescopic view. Frosty Drew Astronomy Team members dress in layers during the winter and for a very good reason. You should consider doing the same. Please read Dressing for All-Night Winter Stargazing to familiarize yourself with adequate dressing measures.

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 beam 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.