Braeside Observatory

Braeside Observatory sits in the high country five miles west of Flagstaff, Arizona, a privately owned facility with an origin story rooted in a chance meeting with a famous astronomer.

About Braeside Observatory

Braeside was founded in 1976 by Robert Fried, a retired Delta Air Lines captain who turned a lifelong astronomy hobby into a dedicated observatory after meeting British astronomer Sir Patrick Moore. The site was previously owned and operated by Arizona State University and now houses two buildings: a telescope building holding a 16-inch Cassegrain reflector, and a separate control building from which the telescope can also be operated remotely.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits at roughly 2,150 metres (7,060 feet) above sea level, five miles west of Flagstaff, Arizona, near the U.S. Naval Observatory's Flagstaff Station, in a region prized for its dark, high-desert skies.

Visiting Braeside Observatory

Braeside has ties to the Coconino Astronomical Society, Flagstaff's local amateur astronomy club, which coordinates public astronomy events in the area. For current access or visiting arrangements, contact the Coconino Astronomical Society directly before planning a trip.

See your named star from here

Flagstaff's high-altitude, dark skies, protected in part by the city's own lighting ordinances, make the area around Braeside an excellent place to look for a named star. Check its coordinates in the star catalogue and ask a local astronomy club member for help finding it.