Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center

When:

Fri, Nov 1, 2024 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Cost:

This Event has SOLD OUT

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 clear sky conditions with the potential for a bit of wind. The new Moon occurs this morning, leaving the entire nighttime period free of Moon light. These are the nights that we celebrate super dark conditions with thousands of stars visible. With no Moon or clouds expected, tonight is the night to be out!

We will open the Observatory, Courtyard, and Science Center at 7:00 pm. In the Observatory, we will direct the large 24 inch telescope towards Saturn at the start of the night. As darkness fully sets in we will direct the telescope towards nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies. On our list is the Ring Nebula, Messier 27 white dwarf, Messier 15 globular star cluster, the Ghost of Mirach galaxy, the Andromeda Galaxy, and more. Courtyard telescopes will show off anything the night sky offers on these dark nights. The Sky Theatre will remain closed tonight for maintenance, and will reopen next Friday. We will close up at 10:00 pm tonight.

Overall, tonight looks fantastic! We can expect clear sky conditions with no Moon, which is best case scenario. It will be a bit windy, and seeing conditions, which are how stable an object appears in the telescope, are forecast to be poor. Seeing will significantly affect our view of brighter objects like Saturn, and early views of Jupiter. Regardless, the sky will be full of stars tonight, and the temps will be moderate enough for a comfortable night under the sky. As an added bonus the annual Taurid Meteor Showers are underway and will bring an increase in fireball meteor activity. Now put the cosmos on your list of post-Halloween weekend activities and celebrate the night with us at Frosty Drew tonight.

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!

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 Prepare for Autumn 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 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.