Winter Stargazing Nights At Frosty Drew Observatory
Every Friday night (weather permitting) Frosty Drew Observatory opens their Observatory, Science Center, Sky Theatre, and telescopes to the skies and offers free stargazing and astronomy to anybody interested in observing with them.
They open on clear Friday nights at around 7:00 p.m. with views of the beautiful night sky over Ninigret Park. Hang out with their astronomers and telescopes as they showcase the Rings of Saturn, the cratered lunar surface, the Galilean Moons of Jupiter, the polar ice caps of Mars, the phases of Venus, massive stars, speckled star clusters, vast nebulae, distant galaxies, and the best views of the Milky Way in Rhode Island. They stay open until 10:00 p.m., and sometimes later depending on the night and sky conditions.
Tickets are not required for visitors to attend these winter events.
They update the event listing on the day of the event between Noon and 3:00 pm. The update will describe their plans for the night and what to expect regarding weather and astronomical sights.
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.
Be sure to subscribe to the Frost Drew Observatory mailing list, follow them on Twitter (@FrostyDrewOBSY) or on Facebook to receive status updates about their Stargazing Nights program and more.
Preparing for Your Visit:
Check out their 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 Dress for Winter Conditions: The Frosty Drew Observatory is not climate controlled, and the temperatures inside the dome needs to match the outside air temperature for a stable telescopic view. Frosty Drew Astronomy Team members dress in layers during the winter and for a very good reason. You should consider doing the same. Please read Dressing for All-Night Winter Stargazing to familiarize yourself with adequate warm clothing.
Please note that they do not allow any white lights on their campus or in Ninigret Park from dusk to 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 they have this requirement in The Red Light District.
Banner image is a photograph of a Frosty Drew Milky Way by Scott MacNeill. Post information from https://frostydrew.org