On Saturday, September 14, 2024 Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center will host its fourth annual Inspire, Discover, Enlighten, and Awe (IDEA) Expo fundraiser. The mission of the Frosty Drew center is to enlighten, discover, inspire - through education and research - knowledge about science, the night sky, and the universe, and this is a day for visitors to get excited about all that we have done and are doing to fulfill that mission.

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Starting at 6:30 pm and continuing into our International Observe the Moon Night event, the entire Frosty Drew campus will be open and in expo mode. Tents will be set up with showcases and presentations hosted by the Frosty Drew Astronomy Team and the Board of Directors.

Have you ever wondered where our “Frosty Drew” namesake comes from? This will be a day to learn the history of Frosty Drew and the Memorial Fund which oversees the Observatory and Science Center.

Maybe you're interested in how a telescope brings those fabulous views of the cosmos within grasp. Frosty Drew astronomers and engineers will be hosting a Dissect a Telescope station that will showcase the inner workings of different telescope designs that we frequently use at Frosty Drew. Each of these telescopes will be taken apart with each component available for inspection. A true astro-geekout.

As a centerpiece of the expo we will showcase our primary observatory telescope - the Planewave CDK 600. This telescope is 8 inches larger than our previous 16-inch telescope, utilizes the cutting-edge Corrected Dahl-Kirkman (CDK) design, and replaced the large telescope inside the observatory dome in 2021. The addition of this fantastic device is opening new opportunities for Frosty Drew programs, research, and public enthusiasm, and will continue to do so for years to come!

Regardless of your interest there will be something exciting for all who visit including a live display of our antique Questar Maksutov Cassegrain Telescope, a chance to touch a real rocket that has actually been to space, pop a squat in the shade with some light refreshments while relaxing with on-screen presentations of the fabulous imagery produced by the Frosty Drew Observatory, and learn about some of the projects that we have in store for 2024-2025.

This is a fundraising event with the purpose of introducing attendees to the mission of the Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center with the expectation that visitors will donate to help us achieve our yearly goals.