Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center

When:

Fri, Aug 15, 2025 6:30 pm - 11:00 pm

Cost:

Tickets are required to attend. SOLD OUT! Please read below.

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 mostly clear sky conditions. There’s quite a bit of variability in the forecast with some sources calling for partly cloudy conditions. Usually variability favors us, but 2025 has been a year of outright strange weather patterns. So we really can’t say how the night will play out. As for the Moon, the Third Quarter Moon will rise at 10:55 pm, offering super dark sky conditions until that time. If the sky can stay clear we could have a fabulous view of the Milky Way after 9:30 pm.

We will open the Observatory and Science Center at 6:30 pm this afternoon. We will start off with views of the Sun in our solar telescopes. Once the Sun sets we will begin our switch to twilight stargazing with views of binary and multiple star systems. Once twilight wanes we will direct our telescopes towards the Milky Way galactic plane which hosts nebulae, star clusters, and more. During the last half hour of the event we will direct a Courtyard telescope towards Saturn for the first view of the 2025 viewing season. We will close up at 11:00 pm.

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. Ticket holding visitors can arrive anytime between 6:15 pm and 10:30 pm. We also allow reentry to our events, and there are activities in Ninigret Park – home to Frosty Drew, that are worth checking out.

The Event has SOLD OUT!

Overall, tonight appears to be a good night. Sky conditions should be mostly clear, though we do have a good deal of wildfire smoke moving through alongside a threat of heavier cloud cover. Keep this in mind if making the long drive. Wildfire smoke will certainly reduce our view of the Milky Way, though we should be able to get a view.

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.