Highland Road Park Observatory

STEM Expansion: "Mars Mania"
2024-12-28 14:30 - 18:30 (America/Chicago) | 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. Register via WebTrac; use activity number 531993. Deadline for online registration is 6pm the day (Friday) before.]

Evening Sky Viewing
2024-12-28 19:30 - 22:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
CANCELLED. NOAA has issued a Tornado Watch until 9pm.
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. Drive slowly! [For ages six and older. No admission fee.]
NOAA Forecast (Bad): precipitation potential 75%, sky cover 87%, relative humidity 94%, temperature 21C, wind W 16 km/h

Friday Night Lecture Series: "2024--The Space Year in Review"
2025-01-03 19:30 - 20:30 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Tradition continues, with HRPO’s cornerstone program returning for another calendar year with a look back at the discoveries, advances and celestial events of 2024. [For ages fourteen and older. No admission fee.]

Evening Sky Viewing
2025-01-03 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 be at a maximum altitude of 9° in Aquarius. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving. Drive slowly! [For ages six and older. No admission fee.]
NOAA Forecast (Very Good): precipitation potential 0%, sky cover 15%, relative humidity 80%, temperature 12C, wind NE 5 km/h

Science Academy: "Venus"
2025-01-04 10:00 - 12:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
In anticipation of its upcoming evening elongation, Cadets will learn about the newly-discovered truths and still-extant mysteries of the brightest and hottest planet in the Solar System. [For ages eight to twelve. $5 per EBR-Parish Cadet; $6 per other-Parish Cadet. To register go to www.brec.org, access the registration function and use Activity Number 531990.]

Evening Sky Viewing
2025-01-04 19:30 - 22:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
The 20OGS will not be in use.
Weather permitting, viewing through one or more telescopes will take place. During this time the waxing crescent Moon will be at a maximum altitude of 33° in Aquarius. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving. Drive slowly! [For ages six and older. No admission fee.]
NOAA Forecast (Poor): precipitation potential 13%, sky cover 79%, relative humidity 90%, temperature 14C, wind E 14 km/h

Venusian Elongation
2025-01-09 19:15 - 20:45 | Burbank Soccer Complex, 12400 Burbank Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
CANCELLED
Periodically Venus reaches its greatest angular separation in the sky (elongation) from the Sun. This is the safest way to view Venus by amateurs. Come join us at the Burbank Soccer Complex! The planet will appear as a “half-Venus”. The waxing gibbous Moon, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will be available! [For ages six and older. No admission fee. Binocular recommended.]
NOAA Forecast (Bad): precipitation potential 48%, sky cover 92%, relative humidity 80%, temperature 7C, wind chill 4C, wind E 12 km/h

Friday Night Lecture Series: "The Red Planet"
2025-01-10 19:30 - 20:30 | Highland Road Park Observatory
A variety of personnel will recount their personal experience with a place that has inspired science and fantasy for centuries! [For ages fourteen and older. No admission fee.]

Evening Sky Viewing
2025-01-10 20:30 - 22:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
The 20OGS will not be in use.
Weather permitting, viewing through one or more telescopes will take place. During this time the waxing gibbous Moon will be at a maximum altitude of 87° in Taurus. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving. Drive slowly! [For ages six and older. No admission fee.]
NOAA Forecast (Poor): precipitation potential 0%, sky cover 91%, relative humidity 90%, temperature 5C, wind chill 2C, wind NW 16 km/h

Science Academy: "Mars"
2025-01-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
In anticipation of its upcoming opposition, Cadets will learn about the newly-discovered truths and still-extant mysteries of the planet considered (after our Moon) the best location in the Solar System to establish a human colony! [For ages eight to twelve. $5 per EBR-Parish Cadet; $6 per other-Parish Cadet. To register go to www.brec.org, access the registration function and use Activity Number 531990.]

Learn Your Telescope
2025-01-11 15:30 - 19:30 | Highland Road Park Observatory
This exciting one-day course is tailor-made to instruct the enrollee in the use of a personal telescope. [Limit ten households. $15 per EBR-Parish household; $18 per other-Parish household. Up to four members of household allowed. Enrollee must be eighteen or older; all others must be eight or older. To register go to www.brec.org, access the registration function and use Activity Number 531992.]

Evening Sky Viewing
2025-01-11 19:30 - 22:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Weather permitting, viewing through one or more telescopes will take place. During this time the waxing gibbous Moon will be at a maximum altitude of 82° in Taurus. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving. Drive slowly! [For ages six and older. No admission fee.]
NOAA Forecast (Excellent): precipitation potential 0%, sky cover 8%, relative humidity 81%, temperature 5C, wind SE 2 km/h

Baton Rouge Astronomical Society Meeting
2025-01-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
During this meeting, viewing of a lunar occultation of Mars will take place. Ingress is ~7:59pm; egress is 8:58pm. Due to the Moon’s Full status, the event may be difficult to see without a binocular. [For ages fourteen and older. No admission fee. Binocular recommended.]

Solar Viewing
2025-01-14 10:45 - 13:45 | 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. During this time the Sun will be in the constellation Sagittarius at a maximum altitude of 39°. Protective clothing and sunscreen are recommended.
This special session of solar viewing is programmed due to the predicted increase in solar activity due to Solar Cycle 25. [For ages six and older. No admission fee.]
NOAA Forecast (Good): precipitation potential 0%, sky cover 66%, relative humidity 56%, temperature 10C, wind E 10 km/h

Martian Opposition
2025-01-15 20:00 - 2025-01-16 00:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
No viewing will be attempted. HRPO will close by at least 10pm.
The Red Planet rises as the Sun sets. Weather permitting, viewing of Mars will take place during this special event that takes over two years to repeat! The waning gibbous Moon, Jupiter and Uranus will be available. [For ages six and older. No admission fee. Binocular recommended.]
NOAA Forecast (Bad): precipitation potential 32%, sky cover 88%, relative humidity 82%, temperature 10C, wind N 3 km/h

Science Academy: "Exoplanets"
2025-01-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Just a few decades ago the concept of planets orbiting other stars was speculative. Now thousands of these bodies are known. Some mirror our own Solar System; some are alien beyond belief! Cadets will take a survey of galactic planets. [Registration in progress. For ages eight to twelve. $5 per EBR-Parish Cadet; $6 per other-Parish Cadet. To register go to www.brec.org, access the registration function and use Activity Number 531990.]

Plus Night: "Bright and Close"
2025-01-18 19:00 - 22:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
20OGS will open no earlier than 8:30pm. As the firepit is under construction for upgrading, there will be no marshmallow roast.
Weather permitting, viewing through one or more telescopes will take place. There will also be physical science demonstrations, a marshmallow roast, a sky tour and a game for kids to earn small prizes. During this time the waning gibbous Moon will be below the horizon. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving. Drive slowly! [For ages six and older. No admission fee.]
NOAA Forecast (Good): precipitation potential 1%, sky cover 43%, relative humidity 74%, temperature 16C, wind NW 10 km/h

Evening Sky Viewing
2025-01-24 20:00 - 21:30 | Highland Road Park Observatory
The lecture, “Nome Serum Run”, has been postponed until 7 February.
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. Drive slowly! [For ages six and older. No admission fee.]
NOAA Forecast (Excellent): precipitation potential 0%, sky cover 1%, relative humidity 66%, temperature 4C, wind E 2 km/h

Solar Viewing
2025-01-25 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. During this time the Sun will be in the constellation Capricornus at a maximum altitude of 41°. Protective clothing and sunscreen are recommended. [For ages six and older. No admission fee.]
NOAA Forecast (Excellent): precipitation potential 0%, sky cover 9%, relative humidity 44%, temperature 13C, wind SE 10 km/h

STEM Expansion: "Radio"
2025-01-25 14:30 - 18:30 | Highland Road Park Observatory

Evening Sky Viewing
2025-01-25 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. Drive slowly! [For ages six and older. No admission fee.]
NOAA Forecast (Good): precipitation potential 0%, sky cover 56%, relative humidity 80%, temperature 10C, wind SE 8 km/h

Friday Night Lecture Series: "Current Status of Spaceflight"
2025-01-31 19:30 - 20:30 | Highland Road Park Observatory
We are all following the progress of the James Webb, Kepler, Psyche and of course Artemis. What delays are coming, and why? Which ones are on schedule? Center Supervisor James DeOliveira presents. [For ages fourteen and older. No admission fee.]

Evening Sky Viewing
2025-01-31 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 be below the horizon. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving. Drive slowly! [For ages six and older. No admission fee.]
NOAA Forecast (Good): precipitation potential 0%, sky cover 64%, relative humidity 67%, temperature 14C, wind W 6 km/h

Science Academy: "Sirius and Canopus"
2025-02-01 10:00 - 12:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
The two brightest stars in the night sky are visible right now. Cadets will encounter the stunning and fierce beauty of these scientifically-interesting objects. [For ages eight to twelve. $5 per EBR-Parish Cadet; $6 per other-Parish Cadet. To register go to www.brec.org, access the registration function and use Activity Number 531990.]

Learn Your Sky
2025-02-01 15:30 - 19:30 | Highland Road Park Observatory
This exciting one-day course is tailor-made to instruct the patron in the basics of the unaided-eye Baton Rouge sky. [Limit thirty enrollees. $15 per EBR-Parish enrollee; $18 per other-Parish enrollee. Enrollee must be eighteen or older. To register go to www.brec.org, access the registration function and use Activity Number 531992.

Evening Sky Viewing
2025-02-01 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 be at a maximum altitude of 22° in Pisces. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving. Drive slowly! [For ages six and older. No admission fee.]
NOAA Forecast (Excellent): precipitation potential 0%, sky cover 3%, relative humidity 70%, temperature 15C, wind S 2 km/h

Friday Night Lecture Series: "Nome Serum Run"
2025-02-07 19:30 - 20:30 | Highland Road Park Observatory
In a record time, the life-saving antitoxin medicine reached the Alaska town threatened with annihilation from a spread of diphtheria. Education Program Specialist Amy Northrop presents the story for the 100th anniversary of this thrilling event. [Postponed from 24 January. For ages fourteen and older. No admission fee.]

Evening Sky Viewing
2025-02-07 20:30 - 21:30 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Weather permitting, viewing through one or more telescopes will take place. During this time the waxing gibbous Moon will be at a maximum altitude of 88° in Taurus. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving. Drive slowly! [For ages six and older. No admission fee.]
NOAA Forecast (Very Good): precipitation potential 0%, sky cover 8%, relative humidity 87%, temperature 21C, wind SW 5 km/h

Science Academy: "ISS Expedition 9"
2025-02-08 10:00 - 12:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
The International Space Station is one of the greatest engineering feats in human history. From April 2004 to October 2004 Gennady Padalka and Mike Fincke conducted experiments and did what few have done-–lived off the Earth. Cadets will build on the circuit board and sample the astronauts’ menu! [For ages eight to twelve. $5 per EBR-Parish Cadet; $6 per other-Parish Cadet.]
To register, go to www.brec.org, access the registration function and use Activity Number 531990.

Evening Sky Viewing
2025-02-08 19:30 - 22:00 | Highland Road Park Observatory
Weather permitting, viewing through one or more telescopes will take place. During this time the waxing gibbous Moon will be at a maximum altitude of 88° in Gemini. Please keep headlights off while parking and leaving. Drive slowly! [For ages six and older. No admission fee.]
NOAA Forecast (Very Good): precipitation potential 0%, sky cover 7%, relative humidity 86%, temperature 22C, wind SW 9 km/h
