Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center

When:

Fri, Oct 23, 2026 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Cost:

$5 per person over four years of age

Get Tickets

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 stargazing and astronomy to anybody interested in observing with us.

Tonight's forecasts are calling for clear sky conditions with cool temps. The 92% waxing gibbous Moon will rise at 2:56 pm this afternoon, and will stay with us for almost the entire nighttime period. Even though the sky should be spectacularly clear, the bright Moon will outshine all dim objects, which means Milky Way views are not happening tonight. Regardless, it will be a beautiful night to be out under the stars.

We will open the Observatory, Sky Theatre, and Science Center at 7:00 pm. In the Observatory we will direct the large 24 inch telescope towards the bright gibbous Moon, Saturn, binary star systems, and a carbon star or two. Courtyard telescopes will showcase wide field views of the Moon, as well as anything else the sky presents. 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 stay open until 9:00 pm.

Overall, tonight has some of the best weather we have seen forecast for a Friday night lately. The Moon will be bright enough to outshine most dim objects in the night sky, as well significantly illuminate the landscape. At 92% waxing gibbous, the Moon will be a little difficult to view in the telescope, though some of the regions near the Lunar Terminator (sunrise line) will show excellent detail. If super dark sky conditions are your goal, then tonight may not be the night for you. Though for those with a crush on the Moon, tonight will be the night to meet your inner geek. It will be a bit chilly tonight, with temps dropping into the lower 40’s. We also start to see the winter winds start to move in this time of the year, and even though it is a slow wind, it can make conditions feel that much colder. So make your plans now for a night of fabulous astronomy at Frosty Drew!

Tickets are required for visitors to attend this event. Inline with our mission to keep costs as low as possible, tickets are $5 per person ages 5 and older. Tickets can be purchased online or at the event until the event sells out. Once tickets become available they can be acquired here.

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 astronomical happening this week in:
A Celebration of Space - October 23, 2026

Be sure to subscribe to the Frosty 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.

Visit our daily ephemerides tool to find out what Solar System objects are visible this week.

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.