The Highland Road Park Observatory, brought to the public by BREC, LSU and BRAS, houses a state-of-the-art 20-inch reflecting telescope, which has been used to discover more than 40 asteroids, and an accessible 16-inch reflecting telescope.
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HRPO's octagonal main building is located in BREC's Highland Road Park. The 20-inch reflecting telescope (used to discover dozens of asteroids) is located inside the retractable dome. BREC supplies an enthusiastic staff willing to answer questions concerning astronomy and space science.
LSU's Department of Physics and Astronomy secured funding for the 20-inch and 16-inch telescopes and the equipment needed to operate them. In addition, LSU provides computers, projectors and other items used in the educational outreach mission of HRPO. The Department's faculty and graduate students are consistently involved in HRPO's public programs by volunteering as guest speakers and telescope operators, and by sharing their expertise in astronomy.
The Baton Rouge Astronomical Society was created and is sustained by people who share a common interest in amateur astronomy. Established in 1981, this 501(c)(3) organization uses HRPO as a meeting place for amateur astronomers in and around the metropolitan area. Visitors will find BRAS members volunteering their time and expertise to help the public better understand the world of astronomy and space science. They also serve as guest speakers and telescope operators as well as consultants.
