Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center

When:

Fri, Feb 7, 2025 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 very variable conditions regarding cloud cover. Some sources are calling for mostly clear sky conditions with others calling for mostly cloudy conditions. Typically, variability favors us at Frosty Drew, but that is not a guarantee that it will be clear. We have the 76% waxing gibbous Moon with us until 4:21 am, which will offer a good fall back with thinner cloud cover. Additionally, views of Mars and Jupiter do well with a little cloud cover. So, if heavier clouds can stay out, we could have a great night.

We will open the Observatory, Science Center, and Sky Theatre at 7:00 pm this evening. On our list of objects to view are the gibbous Moon, Jupiter, Mars, carbon stars, and binary stars. At 76-80% waxing gibbous a small region near Copernicus Crater becomes visible, known as the Hortensius shield volcanoes, which are remnants of geological processes on the lunar surface. These shield volcanoes are difficult to see unless they are very close to the lunar terminator (sunrise / sunset line). We will attempt a view of these landforms tonight with the big telescope. In the Science Center and Sky Theatre, temps will be warm, and on screen we’ll show our regular feature of celestial objects photographed at Frosty Drew Observatory. We will close up at 10:00 pm, unless clouds shut us down earlier.

Overall, tonight has a lot of caveats. It will be cold, with wind chills dropping into the upper teens. There will be some level of cloud cover, which could be enough to prevent us from viewing the night sky. If all of these turn out okay, then we could be in for a fascinating night. Regardless, we will make a best-effort attempt to open tonight.

Tickets are not required to attend this event.

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 this week in:
A Celebration of Space - February 7, 2025

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.