Brackett Observatory

What is Brackett Observatory?

The observatory is a teaching and viewing facility that belongs to Pomona College. It is part of the college's physics and astronomy program rather than a public attraction built for tourists, so it sits among classroom buildings on a working campus.

Claremont is a compact, walkable town, and the observatory is one of several points of interest clustered within a few blocks of each other on and around the Pomona College grounds.

History of Brackett Observatory

The observatory has been part of Pomona College since 1908. Its namesake, Frank Parkhurst Brackett, was born on June 16, 1865, and died on September 3, 1951. He taught astronomy at Pomona, and naming the observatory for him honors that long connection between the man and the college's study of the sky. For a traveler, the building is a reminder that serious stargazing has deep roots in Southern California, well before the region's suburbs spread across the valley floor below the mountains.

Visiting Brackett Observatory: tips

Since this is a college facility, look at the physics and astronomy department's page for any public viewing nights before making a special trip. From the outside, it is a quick stop on a walk around campus. It pairs very easily with nearby art: the Prometheus fresco is about 0.2 miles away, the Benton Museum of Art about 0.3 miles, and the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery about 0.5 miles. Allow an hour or two to see several of these in one visit.