Observatories to Visit in Rhode Island

Observatories are home to some of the biggest and most impressive telescopes in the world. As many amateur astronomers know, there are numerous ways to experience the night sky beyond looking through a telescope in your own backyard. Rhode Island has impressive observatories that offer a wide variety of star parties, tours, and observatory programs that will expand your knowledge of astronomy and your love of the night sky, whether you are new to astronomy or have been in the hobby for years.

For your convenience, we have compiled an alphabetical list of observatories in Rhode Island that offer programs for the public.

Disclaimer: This information was collected from the observatories’ websites in January 2025. Some information may be subject to change if the websites are updated. If interested in visiting one of the listed observatories, please contact the observatory for the latest information before you visit.

Frosty Drew Observatory

The Frosty Drew Observatory is an educational, astronomical observatory owned and operated by the Frosty Drew Memorial Fund. It is located in the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge in Charlestown, Rhode Island. The Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center stands as a memorial to the dedication, enthusiasm, and hard work of Edwin F. "Frosty" Drew.

Telescopes

The observatory is fitted with an Ash Dome utilizing an azimuth motor and a declination shutter motor. It houses a fully automated 24" PlaneWave CDK600 Corrected Dall-Kirkham telescope accessible by a viewing platform. The telescope is connected via Wi-Fi to the campus network and can be controlled by any connected device on campus. Interfacing computers utilize Stellarium to drive the telescope, allowing precise positioning and tracking of over 80,000 deep-space objects, and over 200,000,000 stars, all of which can be viewed with the touch of a button.

Image Credit: VisitRhodeIsland.com

Visiting

This observatory opens to the public every Friday night and frequently for special events. Their operating hours depend on the season and you can visit their events calendar here.

Ladd Observatory

Ladd Observatory is an astronomical observatory at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Founded in 1891 under the direction of Professor Winslow Upton, it was primarily designed for student instruction and research.

Telescopes

The primary telescope is a refractor with a 12-inch (300 mm) aperture objective and a focal length of 15 feet (4.6 m).

Visiting

This observatory holds scheduled Public Nights on Tuesday evenings. Click here for dates and times. A free ticket is required.

Image Credit: Christian Scully/Design Imaging Studios

Margaret M. Jacoby Observatory

This observatory is located in Warwick, Rhode Island on the campus of Rhode Island Community College. The observatory was renamed in 1995 to honor Professor Margaret M. Jacoby, the founder of the college's physics department, who secured the funding for its construction.

Telescopes

The original 14" aperture telescope was replaced with a 16" Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope in 2009, which it still currently features today.

Visiting

This observatory holds scheduled Public Nights. The Observatory will be open every clear Wednesday unless otherwise noted. Check the website for notices of any cancellations before visiting.

Image Credit: Community College of Rhode Island

Seagrave Memorial Observatory

Seagrave Memorial Observatory is an astronomical observatory located in North Scituate, Rhode Island. It is named after astronomer Frank Evens Seagrave and is owned and operated by Skyscrapers, Inc. Skyscrapers, Inc. is a group of amateur astronomers who share a love of the sky. Members include knowledgeable veterans and beginning observers who get together regularly to discuss and learn about the science of astronomy.

Telescopes

The featured telescopes are 8-inch Alvan Clark Refractor, 12-inch Patton Reflector, 12-inch Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain and a 16-inch Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain all housed inside a double roll off roof observatory.

Visiting

This observatory holds scheduled Public Nights. Seagrave Memorial Observatory is open for free public observing every Saturday night, weather permitting.