Highland Road Park Observatory

Evening Sky Viewing
2023-05-20 19:30 - 22:00 (America/Chicago) | Highland Road Park Observatory
Weather permitting, viewing through one or more telescopes will take place. During this time the waxing crescent Moon will at maximum altitude of 20° in Taurus. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving, and drive slowly! [No admission fee. For all ages.]

STEM Expansion: "Magnificent Flying Machines"
2023-05-20 15:30 - 19:30 | Highland Road Park Observatory
This program offers advanced topics, activity extensions and all-new games and demonstrations to older youth. Certificates are earned and archived as well as modern experiments take place. There are also giveaways and door prizes. [For ages twelve to sixteen. $15 per EBR parish registrant; $18 per other-parish registrant. Deadline for online registration is 6pm the day (Friday) before.]

Solar Viewing
2023-05-20 12:00 - 14:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Weather permitting, viewing of the Sun’s image in three different manners–indirectly onto a white surface, directly with safely-filtered optical light and directly in hydrogen-alpha wavelength–will take place. Protective clothing and sunscreen are recommended. [No admission fee. For all ages.]

Evening Sky Viewing
2023-05-19 20:30 - 22:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Weather permitting, viewing through one or more telescopes will take place. During this time the New Moon will below the horizon. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving, and drive slowly! [No admission fee. For all ages.]

Friday Night Lecture Series: "Pioneer Venus 45th Anniversary"
2023-05-19 19:30 - 20:30 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Using radar (one of over a dozen scientific instruments), this groundbreaker revealed Venus as no other human mission had. [For ages fourteen and older. No admission fee.]

Plus Night: "Free the Milky Way"
2023-05-13 19:30 - 22:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
In addition to regular low- and medium- and high-magnification viewing through one or more telescopes, personnel will provide: physical science demonstrations; a sky tour; a marshmallow roast; assistance in finding any bright visible passes of satellites and rocket bodies; and a game for kids to earn prizes! This Plus Night theme focuses on HRPO partners’ attempt to eradicate much of the light pollution in the area. During this time the waning crescent Moon will be below the horizon. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving, and drive slowly! [No admission fee. For all ages.]

Science Academy: "Rockets of the Past"
2023-05-13 10:00 - 12:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
From the Hero Engine through to the Saturn V, Cadets will survey the vast variety of machines made to propel forward and ultimately release us from the gravity well of Earth! [For ages eight to twelve. $5 per EBR-Parish Cadet; $6 per other-Parish Cadet.]

Evening Sky Viewing
2023-05-12 20:30 - 22:00, 2023-04-14 20:30 - 22:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Weather permitting, viewing through one or more telescopes will take place. During this time the waning crescent Moon will be below the horizon. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving, and drive slowly! [No admission fee. For all ages.]

Friday Night Lecture Series: "Life Cycles of the Stars"
2023-05-12 19:30 - 20:30 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Like people, stars are born and experience death. There are several unique and special stars giving us a breathtaking array of targets for a night of viewing, and instilling a sense of wonder and fortune that our home is with the Sun near the edge of our star-filled Galaxy. This presentation will be given by BREC Center Supervisor James DeOliveira. [For ages fourteen and older. No admission fee.]

Baton Rouge Astronomical Society Meeting
2023-05-08 19:00 - 21:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
For forty years BRAS has educated countless numbers of citizens in the joys of planetary and deep-sky gazing, the perils of light pollution and factors to consider when buying a pair of binoculars or a telescope. Over the years BRAS members have constructed their own telescopes and photographic platforms; and imaged comets, earned observing certificates and discovered asteroids. Anyone interested in learning more about BRAS is invited to attend. [For ages fourteen and older. No admission fee.]

Light Pollution Committee Meeting
2023-05-08 18:00 - 19:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Are you a local skygazer, homeowner, business owner, science teacher or stakeholder interested reclaiming a natural sky above HRPO and its surrounding while simultaneously saving money and energy, and making driving safer? This meeting (open to the public) is a sounding board for real-life solutions to the light pollution problem. [No admission fee. For ages fourteen and older.]

Evening Sky Viewing
2023-05-06 19:30 - 22:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Weather permitting, viewing through one or more telescopes will take place. During this time the waning gibbous Moon will at maximum altitude of 8° in Scorpius. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving, and drive slowly! [No admission fee. For all ages.]

Science Academy: "Exploring Weather I"
2023-05-06 10:00 - 12:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
In the first of three never-to-repeat sessions, Cadets will investigate the volume of air, how temperature is related to direct sunlight, and how the wind affects a planet’s weather patterns. [For ages eight to twelve. $5 per EBR-Parish Cadet; $6 per other-Parish Cadet.]

Evening Sky Viewing
2023-05-05 20:30 - 22:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Weather permitting, viewing through one or more telescopes will take place. During this time the Full Moon will at maximum altitude of 20° in Libra. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving, and drive slowly! [No admission fee. For all ages.]

Friday Night Lecture Series: "The Lure of the Full Moon"
2023-05-05 19:30 - 20:30 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Our constant companion and sole natural satellite is a night light, a source of outrageous stories (some true)—and for our generation, an ultimate goal for living and working. How did it originate? What can it give us? Will it stay with us? [For ages fourteen and older. No admission fee.]

International Astronomy Day
2023-04-29 18:00 - 23:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Exhibitors, games, food and science! Quite possibly the largest IAD celebration in the tri-state area is back! [No admission fee. For ages six and older. Rocket Range bidders must be eighteen or older, though launchers can be as young as eight.]

Evening Sky Viewing
2023-04-22 19:30 - 22:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Weather permitting, viewing through one or more telescopes will take place. During this time the waxing crescent Moon will at maximum altitude of 35° in Taurus. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving, and drive slowly! [No admission fee. For all ages.]

STEM Expansion
2023-04-22 15:30 - 19:30 | Highland Road Park Observatory
This program offers advanced topics, topic extensions and all-new games and activities to an older crowd. Certificates will be earned, and a section of archived experiments (some never performed on site) take place. [For ages twelve to sixteen. $15 per in-parish registration; $18 per out-of-parish registration.]

Evening Sky Viewing
2023-04-21 20:30 - 22:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Weather permitting, viewing through one or more telescopes will take place. During this time the waxing crescent Moon will at maximum altitude of 10° in Aries. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving, and drive slowly! [No admission fee. For all ages.]

Skygazing: A Pursuer's Guide
2023-04-21 19:00 - 20:30 | Highland Road Park Observatory
This special early lecture aimed toward students and families introduces the science hobby and outlines how print and online resources, and HRPO and BRAS, can support a lifetime of intellectual and aesthetic fulfillment. [No admission fee. For ages eleven and older.]

2023-04-15 19:30 - 22:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Weather permitting, viewing through one or more telescopes will take place. During this time the waning crescent Moon will be below the horizon. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving, and drive slowly! [No admission fee. For all ages.]

Science Academy: "Expedition 2"
2023-04-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
This mission lasted from March to August 2001. The crew members were Commander Uruy Usachev with Susan Helms and James Voss. Cadets will learn of the mission’s goals and sample the menu! [For ages eight to twelve. $5 per in-parish Cadet; $6 per out-of-parish Cadet.]

Friday Night Lecture Series: "Wonders of the Winter Sky"
2023-04-14 19:30 - 20:30 | Highland Road Park Observatory
The temperature is mild as April’s constellations settle high overhead early in the night. HRPO Education Curator Amy Northrop takes the audience on a fascinating tour of Baton Rouge’s spring season. She highlights the celestial gems that will sparkle throughout the next three months—gems that visitors will be able to see live if they continue to visit HRPO! [For ages fourteen and older. No admission fee.]

Space Exploration Camp (day two)
2023-04-12 08:00 - 17:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Camp activities include circuit board construction, and construction and launch of two chemical rockets. These two-day Camps occur during East Baton Rouge Parish’s public Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. For ages nine to thirteen. $55 per EBR-Parish Camper; $66 per other-parish Camper. Activity #531880 at BREC Online Registration – Splash.

Mercurian Elongation
2023-04-11 19:15 - 20:45 | Burbank Soccer Complex, 12400 Burbank Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
The first of the 2023 attempts to see the fastest and most elusive planet of our Solar System will take place around the corner from HRPO due to the required low western horizon. As a bonus, during the last half of the event a wonderful conjunction of Venus and Pleaides will be visible. For all ages. No admission fee.

Space Exploration Camp (day one)
2023-04-11 08:00 - 17:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory

Baton Rouge Astronomical Society Meeting
2023-04-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
For forty years BRAS has educated countless numbers of citizens in the joys of planetary and deep-sky gazing, the perils of light pollution and factors to consider when buying a pair of binoculars or a telescope. Over the years BRAS members have published in “Astronomy”, “Sky & Telescope” and “Scientific American”; constructed their own telescopes and photographic platforms; been interviewed by local media and the National Geographic Society; and entered robotics competitions, imaged comets, earned observing certificates and discovered asteroids. Anyone interested in learning more about BRAS is invited to attend. [No admission fee. For ages for ages fourteen and older.]

Light Pollution Committee
2023-04-10 18:00 - 19:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
BRAS’ open house is for all skygazers, taxpayers, homeowners, business owners, teachers and other stakeholders in a natural-contrast night sky. [No admission fee. For ages eighteen and older.]

Evening Sky Viewing
2023-04-08 19:30 - 22:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Weather permitting, viewing through one or more telescopes will take place. During this time the waning gibbous Moon will be below the horizon. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving, and drive slowly! [No admission fee. For all ages.]
