Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center

When:

Fri, May 2, 2025 8:30 pm - 10:30 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 partly cloudy to overcast conditions with fog setting in overnight. The 35% waxing crescent Moon will be with us this evening, and could show fantastic views of Earthshine if clouds are not too heavy early in the evening. Considering that fog generally moves into Ninigret Park – home to Frosty Drew, hours before forecast times, we could end up fogged out too. Additionally, now that all the brighter planets have moved out of their viewing seasons, we do not have the bright planets to fall back on during thinner cloud cover. Regardless, we will give it a go and hope for the best, but note there is a good chance we will be closing early if we end up overcast or fogged out.

We will open the Observatory and Science Center at 8:30 pm tonight. In the Observatory the large telescope will show views of the crescent Moon, binary stars, and any other object that we can observe depending on cloud cover. There are several deep sky objects like the Messier 3 globular star cluster, Messier 81 and 82 galaxy group, Messier 51 galaxy, and more that are visible this time of year, but we need a cloud-free sky to observe these. Depending on sky conditions we may have a courtyard telescope set up as well. In the Science Center and Sky Theatre we will have exhibits and images on display. We plan to close up at 10:30 pm, but weather could shut us down earlier.

Overall, tonight is certainly not the night to make the long drive. We will have some level of clouds, which could become fully overcast, and fog will likely move in during our stargazing session. On the off chance that it turns out to be a beautiful night, the Moon is in a great phase for observing. Earthshine, which is when you can see the nighttime side of the Moon illuminated from sunlight reflecting off Earth, will be quite visible and many excellent deep sky objects are coming into view. If you have nothing going on tonight, and live close by, swing on over and hope for clearings with us. Otherwise, sit this one out.

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.

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.