PARI to explore ‘Fit for Space’


Press release

Rosman, NC (March 24, 2014) – Preparing to live in space and the effects of weightlessness on the human body will be explored Friday, April 11, at PARI. The presentation is part of PARI’s participation in the NC Science Festival and is open to the public. The evening will include a tour of the PARI campus and, weather permitting, celestial observations using PARI’s telescopes.

“This year the NC Science Festival theme is Life is your Lab,” said PARI Education Director Christi Whitworth, “so at PARI we will be exploring the effects of a microgravity environment on the human body. We will focus on the fitness levels and activities of astronauts prior to launch, the physical effects of living in space and the time it takes to recover physically from the effects.”

The presentation is a featured event in the NC Science Festival, a statewide series of activities from March 28 through April 13 that focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Details can be obtained at HYPERLINK “http://www.ncsciencefestival.org” www.ncsciencefestival.org. In addition to the Evening at PARI presentation, PARI will support the Science Festival with a Star Party on the PARI campus April 4 and will have a display at the NC Arboretum in Asheville April 5.

The Evening at PARI program will begin at 7:00 p.m. with the presentation, followed by a campus tour, a trip to the Exhibit Gallery and an observing session. The program will take place regardless of the weather so attendees are encouraged to dress appropriately for being outside and to wear comfortable walking shoes. Each participant will also have the opportunity to have a photo taken with a PARI telescope and will receive a subscription to the PARI newsletter and a 10% discount on PARI merchandise.

Reservations are required and will be accepted until 3:00 p.m. the day of the event. Evening at PARI programs cost $20 per adult, $15 for seniors/military and $10 for children under 14. Register and pay online at HYPERLINK “http://www.pari.edu” www.pari.edu or call (828) 862-5554. For additional information contact PARI Education Director Christi Whitworth at HYPERLINK “mailto:cwhitworth@pari.edu” cwhitworth@pari.edu.

About PARI
The Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) is a public not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) foundation established in 1998. Located in the Pisgah National Forest 30 miles southwest of Asheville, NC, the PARI campus was selected in 1962 by NASA as the site for one of the first U.S. satellite tracking facilities. Today, the 200 acre campus houses radio and optical telescopes, earth science instruments, 30 buildings, a fulltime staff and all the infrastructure necessary to support STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education and research. PARI offers educational programs at all levels, from K-12 through post-graduate research.

PARI is home to the Astronomical Photographic Data Archive and a member of the NC Grassroots Science Museums Collaborative. PARI’s Exhibit Gallery displays a collection of rare meteorites as well as NASA Space Shuttle artifacts, many of which have flown in space. For more information about PARI and its programs, visit HYPERLINK “http://www.pari.edu” www.pari.edu. Follow PARI on Twitter at twitter.com/Astronomy_PARI.

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