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BREC-LSU-BRAS Highland Road Observatory

Address:	13800 Highland Road
Phone:	(225) 768-9948
Fax:	(225) 766-3539
Web site:	http://www.bro.lsu.edu

Hours: Tuesday-Thursday: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday: 3-10 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 6-10 p.m. Sunday and Monday: Closed

Directions: Take Interstate 10 to the Highland Road exit. Travel south approximately three miles. The observatory is on your left.

Admission: The Highland Road Park Observatory is free to the public. For information about group tours, call (225) 768-9948 or email observatory@brec.org

Come See the Wonders of the Universe!

The Highland Road Park Observatory (HRPO), sponsored by BREC, LSU and BRAS,  is located on the south side of BREC's Highland Road Park and houses a state-of-the-art 20" reflecting telescope that has been used to discover over 50 asteroids.

BREC has two other partners in HRPO. LSU's Department of Physics found the grants to pay for the 20" reflector and (coming soon) the all accessible 16" reflector. The Baton Rouge Astronimical Society is the hard-working volunteer corps of the observatory. Membership into BRAS is open to the public.

                                                               Monthly Planetary Post Newsletter

Programs:

Saturday Science Academy
Under the guidance of HRPO Education Curator, Craig Brendan, children will view a brief presentation and then engage in hands-on demonstrations and experiments related to the subject covered such as magneticism, buoyancy, optics, balloons, helicopters, submarines, homemade comets and homemade volcanoes. It's all here for the kid who can't get enough of science.
Limit 15 participants per Saturday. Walk-ins are welcome, though HRPO encourages parents to call the observatory and reserve a slot.
 

Ages:	8-12 years
Date:	Every Saturday
Time:	10 a.m.-noon
Cost:	$5 in-parish resident $6 out-of-parish resident

Friday Night Lecture Series
HRPO is proud to continue its long-running, free Lecture Series focusing on astronomy and its peripherals. With a variety of presenters, this series gives stunning and entertaining overviews of the planets and stars, stargazing techniques, physics, NASA missions, space technology and other divisions of the science that is truly universal.

Ages:	14 years and older
Date:	Every Friday
Time:	7:30-8:30 p.m.
Cost:	Free

Geminid Meteor Shower
A major shower of the year- are you ready for some "earthgrazers?"

Ages:	All
Date:	Dec. 13
Time:	9 p.m.-1 a.m.
Cost:	Free

Evening Sky Viewing
Two nights a week, the professional telescopes at HRPO are unlocked (weather permitting) to showcase the Baton Rouge sky in all its glory. Friday nights are reserved for the adult crowd, including those who just experienced our Lecture Series, and want to see perhaps some of the principles heard put into practice. Saturday night is family night with children of all ages experiencing the moon, planets, stellar clusters and nebulae. A marshmallow roast and small demonstrations introducing families to Science Academy take place simultaneously.

Ages:	All
Date/ Time:	Every Friday, 8:30-10 p.m. Every Saturday, 7:30-10 p.m.
Cost:	Free

Solar Viewing
Our parent star takes the stage during this time. Visitors are able to see, with their own eyes, any sizable sunspots or flares occuring. Free literature on solar power and UV proctection and free (while supplies last) sunscreen are available.

Ages:	All
Date:	Every other Sunday
Time:	Noon-1 p.m.
Cost:	Free

Rocket Camps:

Winter Rocket Camp

Date:	Dec. 29-30
Time:	8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Cost:	In-parish child (registration begins Dec. 1): $35 Out-of-Parish child (registration begins Dec. 8): $42

Spring Rocket Camp

Date:	March 30-31
Time:	8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Cost:	In-parish child (registration begins March 2): $35 Out-of-parish child (registration begins March 9): $42

Regular Programming:

Solar Viewing
Sunscreen and protective clothing recommended.

Date:	Every other Saturday
Time:	Noon-1 p.m.

Evening Sky Viewings

Date/Time:

Fridays, 8:30-9:30 p.m. Saturdays, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Baton Rouge Astronomical Society Meeting
You do no thave to be a member to attend.

Date:	Second Monday/month
Time:	7-9 p.m.

Friday Night Lecture Series
Talks for a general adult audience; a different topic every week.

Date:	Friday
Time:	7:30-8:30 p.m.

Bottomland Hardwood Forest Walking Trail Project

The walking trail offers a place where individuals, university classes, scout groups, classroom children, and families can enjoy an educational hike through a lovely bottomland hardwood forest. The trail is divided into two paths, Semita Major (big path) and Semita Minor (little path). Trail visitors can expect about a mile of hiking path between the two, highlighting the plant species that inhabit the area.

In July 2002, Louisiana Delta Service Corps, an AmeriCorps National Service Program and the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program in cooperation with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, announced their support of the HRPO Bottomland Hardwood Forest Walking Trail Project. Delta Corps' support of a full time project coordinator ($35,000 value) and the Forest Service grant of $7,400 guaranteed the success of the project.

Additional Information:
The observatory often opens its doors for celestial events such as eclipses or meteor showers; groups are invited to schedule a field trip or inquire about our summer Traveling Telescope Program, Stargazers Summer Camp or Get In Motion! Summer Camp.

Other Highland Park Phone Numbers:

Tennis Center	(225) 766-0247
Rec./Fitness Center	(225) 767-4003

ATTENTION: Due to the fallen trees and debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav, the walking trails at the Highland Road Observatory are CLOSED until further notice.