Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center

When:

Tue, Oct 6, 2026 4:00 am - 6:00 am

Cost:

$5 Suggested Donation Per Person

During the early morning ours of Tuesday, October 6, 2026 a stunning occultation of Jupiter is taking place and it will be visible to all in New England. This will be an awesome occurrence and Frosty Drew Observatory is opening to celebrate the event starting at 4:00 am offering excellent views of the occultation both onsite and online. We will stay on site and open until 6:00 am after the occultation ends over New England.

A Lunar occultation occurs when the Moon visibly passes in between Earth and a more distant object, overtaking that object in the sky. For this to happen the object being occulted needs to reside along or near the ecliptic - the path the Sun takes across the sky representing the plane of the Solar System.

The occultation of Jupiter will start at 4:23 am over our location. This will be visible as Jupiter slowly disappearing behind the Moon. At 5:28 am, Jupiter will emerge from the opposite side of the Moon. All occultations like this are fantastic, but Jupiter will be of greater interest because the Galilean Moons will also be visible passing behind the Moon.

The Frosty Drew Sky Theatre will be open and accepting visitors during the occultation alongside a live stream of the occultation on the Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center YouTube. The live stream will showcase a view from one of the high power Frosty Drew telescopes, and will also be visible the large screen in the Sky Theatre and the screen in the Observatory.

Tickets are not required for visitors to attend this event. Though a suggested donation of $5 per person, at the event, is very appreciated.

Set your alarms and swing by for a quick autumn morning view of the Occultation of Jupiter, and kick off your day with the cosmos.

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 Prepare for Autumn 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. Learn more about why we have this requirement in The Red Light District.