Where:

Frosty Drew Observatory

When:

Fri, Jul 24, 2020 9:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Cost:

This event is no longer on sale

UPDATE: July 24, 2020 2:04 pm ============
Tonight's forecast is calling for departing clouds with fog moving in. At this time, we are not looking at a great night for stargazing, though we are going to open anyway just in case. We will make our best attempt at viewing Jupiter, Saturn, the crescent Moon, and anything else visible. We cannot promise that you will have a clear view of the sky, but we will try out best to work with what we have.
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IMPORTANT NOTE: A link to acquire tickets will be posted on this event page no earlier than the day before the event, if weather is acceptable for viewing. We frequently post links on the day of the event so we have the most accurate forecast. We have been receiving an excessive number of phone calls and emails about where to acquire tickets for our events. This information is listed below! Kindly read the entire page before calling or writing in. The information is posted thoroughly so our team members do not have to respond to questions for redundant information. We will not respond to calls or emails with inquiries about how to acquire tickets! Thank you for your understanding.

Welcome to the Frosty Drew Observatory Summer Stargazing Nights! Every Friday night (weather permitting) we open our Observatory, Sky Theatre, and telescopes to the skies and offer free stargazing and astronomy to anybody interested in observing with us.

Tonight we will host a limited stargazing experience as part of our reopening plan. During this time of the year we usually open at 6:00 pm with solar observing. Celebrating views of the solar chromosphere and photosphere. Once the Sun sets, we switch over to the beautiful night sky over the observatory. Tonight’s event will not include our solar observing event and will, instead start at 9:00 pm and end at 11:00 pm. We will have telescopes setup in the observatory courtyard showcasing nebulae, star clusters, binary stars, the Moon, and eventually Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars. The primary observatory 16” telescope will be open and will service one visitor at a time.

Forecasts are calling for showers earlier in the evening that will move out just in time for our celebration. Decreasing clouds will persist and fog will eventually move in. This forecast is not all that awesome, and has a good probability of rendering the sky too overcast to observe. On the flip side, we could end up with acceptable enough conditions to observe Jupiter, Saturn, and a few binary stars. Then there’s the remote possibility that the sky clears out, which we do not think will happen. Regardless, we are going to attempt an opening tonight.

Due to restrictions on the number of people that can be in groups, we have integrated a temporary ticketing system. Tickets can be acquired online only! A link to acquire tickets will be posted on this event page no earlier than the day before the event, if weather is acceptable for viewing. Please DO NOT attempt to circumvent the ticketing process by using the standard donation form on our website. THAT WILL NOT GET YOU A TICKET OR ACCESS TO THIS EVENT! A ticket is required for admission at tonight’s event!

Important information about tickets:

- A maximum of 120 tickets will be available for each night depending on telescope availability.
- A ticket is required for each person in your party / group.
- Tickets will not be available on site. This means you need to arrive with your ticket.
- Tickets will be checked at the Observatory main gate, either electronically or physically.
- The name on the ticket must match the name of the ticket holder.
- If you do not have a ticket, you will not be granted admission.
- Tickets are non-refundable.
- This event is weather dependent and cancellations will be posted on the day of the event.
- We cannot guarantee the weather, nor can we guarantee that you will see what you may expect.

Tickets for tonight’s Stargazing Nights event are no longer available.

We ask for a donation of $5 per person over the age of 5 years. The ticket acquisition process will accept any donation amount that you are willing to give, and we thank you for doing so!

When visiting, please be aware of signage and social distancing markers as well as flow indicators. If you are experiencing any symptoms of any contagion, stay home and postpone your visit, even if that means forfeiture of your ticket. Visitors who are visibly displaying symptoms of a contagion will not be granted admission. This is just how it is for now, so take your allergy pill before departing for Frosty Drew Observatory!

Before visiting we always recommend reading 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. Though in particular you should read our Equipment Usage TOS because this will be in full force and inability to follow will result in the visitor or party being required to leave. Please familiarize yourself with our visiting info. I could prevent a potentially embarrassing moment.

Be sure to subscribe to the Frosty Drew Observatory mailing list, follow us on Twitter (@FrostyDrewOBSY) or on Facebook to receive status updates about our Summer Stargazing Nights program and more.

If this event is cancelled due to inclement weather or other reasons, we will host a live streamed event showcasing images of the cosmos that our astronomers have captured earlier in the week. A link to the live broadcast will be added to this page on the day of the event. Regardless, you can catch up on our live streams, science and astronomy videos, and more on the Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center YouTube

If you are looking for that awesome astronomy thing to do or just want a night out to experience the cosmos under the darkest skies in Rhode Island, then this is your chance.

Catch up on all the amazing things happening in space this, including Comet C2020 F3 NEOWISE makes is closest approach to us, the ISS continues to offer evening passes over New England, and a slew of meteor activity in: A Celebration of Space - July 24, 2020

Please note that we do not allow any white lights on our campus from dusk - dawn. This is to ensure an equally awesome view of the night sky for all as well as to allow for the use of light sensitive astronomical equipment. Learn more about why we have this requirement in The Red Light District