Frosty Drew Opens On Fridays For Winter Star Gazing

Every Friday night that the weather permits, the astronomers at Frosty Drew open their Observatory, Science Center, Sky Theatre, and telescopes to the sky and offer stargazing and astronomy to anybody interested in observing with them.

They open around 7:00 p.m. with views of the beautiful night sky over Ninigret Park. Hang out with the 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 pm, sometimes later depending on the night and sky conditions.

Tickets are not required for visitors to attend these winter Friday night events. Though a suggested donation of $5 per person, at the event, is very much appreciated.

Frosty Drew will update their event listing on the day of the event before 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 sky in Rhode Island, then this is your chance.

Be sure to subscribe to the Frosty Drew Observatory mailing list and follow them on Instagram to receive status updates about their Stargazing Nights program and more.

Preparing for Your Visit:

Check out the page on Visiting Frosty Drew Observatory to learn more about what to expect at the Observatory and to better help you prepare for your visit.

How to Dress for Winter Conditions: The Frosty Drew Observatory is not climate controlled, and the temperature 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 dressing measures.

Please note that white lights are not allowed on the Frosty Drew 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 this requirement in The Red Light District.

The banner image is a photo of the Milky Way taken in Ninigret Park by Scott MacNeill.