Physics

Ladd Observatory

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About Ladd Observatory

The historic Ladd Observatory was dedicated in 1891. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For an overview of the history, see Viewing the Night Sky: The Ladd Observatory, a Jewel in Brown’s Crown by David Targan.

From Star to Clock: Timekeeping at Ladd Observatory

Learn how we synchronized precision pendulum clocks to the stars by watching "From Star to Clock... Timekeeping at Ladd Observatory." A presentation by the Observatory Curator, Michael Umbricht, recorded for our 125th Anniversary.

How to get to Ladd Observatory

The Observatory is located on College Hill at 210 Doyle Avenue, at the corner of Doyle Ave. and Hope St.

Ladd Observatory

The Ladd Observatory presents a regular series of public science outreach programs and educational publications for the community. The Observatory also supports classes and student groups at Brown.

Our public observing nights are on Tuesday evenings, weather permitting. Visit our eventbrite page to see our currently scheduled events and to reserve a free ticket. A prediction of sky viewing conditions is available at the Ladd Clear Sky Chart.

You can contact us at ladd_observatory@brown.edu or (401) 863-2641. Follow us on Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly email newsletter by Francine Jackson for updates and announcements. The most recent note is here.

We also publish a magazine with more in-depth articles and photo galleries. The links below are to download the full issues of recent Ladd Clear Skies magazines and also select articles about the history of science and technology. The documents are in PDF format. The most recent are at the top of each list.