Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center

When:

Fri, Jul 19, 2024 6:30 pm - 11:00 pm

Cost:

This event is SOLD OUT

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 mostly clear sky conditions. After a beautiful summer day, the dry weather will stick around this afternoon and evening, making for a comfortable night out under the stars. The 96% waxing gibbous Moon will be with us for most of the night tonight, and will outshine nearly everything else in the sky aside from brighter stars. Even though the Moon will be quite bright, it will be a nice night to be out.

We will open the Observatory and Science Center at 6:30 pm this afternoon. In the Observatory Courtyard we will have our solar telescopes directed at the Sun for solar observation until sunset. Sunspot activity has been quite fantastic this summer, and today’s view will certainly not disappoint. In the Observatory, we will direct the large 24 inch PlaneWave telescope towards Mercury, as well as a Courtyard telescope. Once the Sun sets, we will start showcasing the gibbous Moon in our telescopes. As twilight wanes we will direct our telescopes towards the night sky. Objects of interest tonight will be binary stars Albireo, Algieba, Mizar, Gamma Delphinus, 61 Cygnus, Delta Cepheus, and more. At the end of the night, we may catch our first view of Saturn for the summer in a Courtyard telescope. In the Science Center we will have exhibits on display with team members on hand to answer questions and offer commentary. The Sky Theatre will be hosting NASA Solar System Ambassador, Frank Puglia, who will be presenting on various astronomical topics.

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. This event has SOLD OUT. Getting on the waiting list may get you a ticket, but only ticket holding visitors will be admitted to the event.

For those who are are calling in unsure what "Sold Out" means; the event sells out when we reach our event capacity. This means that we cannot accommodate any additional visitors once the event sells out. It doesn't matter if the tickets are free or not. Sold out means that tickets are no longer available, and you cannot visit if you do not have a ticket. It also means that showing up to complain to our astronomers about not being able to get a ticket will not get you into the event, and may get you banned depending on how entitled you act. We understand that this may be frustrating and that it may not be as easy as just visiting on another day this summer, but our capacity is set per event based on how many astronomers will be on site. Thank you for your understanding.

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 - July 19, 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 Summertime 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.