Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center

When:

Fri, Jun 7, 2024 6:30 pm - 11:00 pm

Cost:

Get Tickets Here

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 forecasts are calling for partly cloudy sky conditions for most of our open time. The super thin 4% waxing crescent Moon will be with us over the WNW horizon for the first half of the night. At only 4% crescent, the Moon will have minimal effect on the dark sky, allowing for a stunning night of super dark sky conditions. Clouds will be problematic, but depending on how patchy they may be, we could still have a fantastic night.

We’ll open the Observatory, Courtyard, Science Center, and Sky Theatre at 6:30 pm this afternoon. In the Courtyard we’ll have our solar telescopes set up offering views of the solar photosphere and solar chromosphere. Once the Sun sets we will direct our Courtyard telescopes toward the crescent Moon. As stars start becoming visible we will showcase binary stars in the big telescope and Courtyard telescopes. Astronomical twilight will stick around until after 10:00 pm, so full darkness will be later in the night. As astronomical twilight approaches we can start showing many of the fabulous deep sky objects visible on the darkest nights. In the Science Center we will have exhibits on display and the Sky Theatre will be showing our feature of celestial objects captured at Frosty Drew Observatory. We’ll stay open until 11:00 pm.

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.
Get Tickets Here

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.

Take a moment to catch up on some space happenings in:
A Celebration of Space - June 7, 2024

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.