Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center

When:

Fri, Jul 25, 2025 6:30 pm - 11:00 pm

Cost:

Tickets are required to attend. This Event has 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 intense thunderstorms in the mid afternoon hours, largely moving out just before our event begins. After which, we will see partly cloudy to mostly clear sky conditions. There are higher probabilities of heavier clouds during our solar viewing program, which runs until sunset, but clouds should clear out a bit after sunset. The 3% waxing crescent Moon will set about 30 minutes after sunset, and will offer a stunning view over the western horizon if clouds allow.

We will open the Observatory and Science Center at 6:30 pm this afternoon. In the Observatory Courtyard we will have our solar telescopes set up to observe the Sun. Even though solar activity is not as visible as last Friday, we do have several sunspot groups in view today. Once the Sun sets we will switch over to twilight viewing. On our list will be binary and multiple star systems. Once twilight wanes we will direct our telescopes towards the Milky Way galactic plane and observe nebulae and star clusters. Of course this depends on how heavy cloud cover is. In the Sky Theatre we will show our regular feature of celestial objects photographed at Frosty Drew Observatory, and the Science Center will have exhibits on display. We will close up at 11:00 pm.

Sunset will happen at 8:10 pm this evening, and twilight will stick around until after 9:30 pm. Ticket holding visitors can arrive anytime between 6:15 pm and 10:30 pm. There will be a notable period without telescope observation once the Sun sets into the treeline and the first stars become visible. We allow re-entry to the event and there are activities and attractions in Ninigret Park (home to Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center) that are available to the general public.

Overall, tonight may be a night to skip. We are unsure how cloudy it will be, but it appears that there will be some level of cloud cover we will be dealing with. On the flip side, tonight is the first night after the new Moon, so dark sky conditions will be rocking! If the sky ends up on the clearer side, the Milky Way will look amazing once twilight wanes. Additionally, the campus may be quite wet as a result of t-storms that are moving through later this afternoon. If choosing to make the drive, keep in mind that you may be met with clouds. Additionally, if thunder is audible then lightning strike hazards exist and the dome will be closed until thunder is no longer audible.

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.

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 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. If you show up with your high beam headlights on, don't expect a warm welcome. Learn more about why we have this requirement in The Red Light District.