PARI is hosting a public Star Party Oct. 28-30. Registered visitors will have the opportunity to spend the entire weekend on campus and will be treated to celestial observations using PARI telescopes, workshops, campus tours, nature hikes and other activities.
PARI is located on a 200-acre campus in the Pisgah National Forest near Rosman, N.C. Now operating as an observatory and science education center, the PARI site was originally selected by NASA for a satellite tracking station because it offers one of the finest dark sky sites in the Eastern U.S. Much of the original NASA construction still exists at PARI, including two mammoth 26-meter (85ft) radio telescopes.
“During the year scientists and students often spend the night at PARI,” said PARI Education Director Christi Whitworth, “but during the Star Party we can offer this opportunity to the public at large. Registrations for our two previous Star Parties were taken quickly, so if anyone is interested they should contact us as soon as possible. Registered visitors will have the option of staying on campus in our indoor resident areas or tent camping. If they prefer, they can book rooms at area motels and come to the campus for activities. PARI astronomers will be able to assist with nighttime star gazing,
plus we’ll offer day and night workshops, including a special presentation by image processing guru Warren Keller.
The Star Party is designed as a family event, so we will provide activities suited for all ages, including campus tours, nature hikes and some Halloween-themed activities.”
The PARI campus is located about an hour from Asheville attractions. Brevard, Cashiers and Pisgah Forest area attractions are even closer.
Anyone interested in attending can register online or download the registration form at www.pari.edu/psp. Registration will be confirmed on receipt of a check. Please mail to PARI, 1 PARI Drive, Rosman, NC 28772. For questions about reservations, contact Christi Whitworth at 828-862-5554 or cwhitworth@pari.edu.
About PARI
The Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) foundation established in 1998. Located in the Pisgah Forest 30 miles southwest of Asheville, NC, the PARI campus is a dark sky location for astronomy and 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. The institute is a member of the NC Grassroots Museum Collaborative, a partner in NC OPT-ED and is affiliated with the 16-campus University of North Carolina system through PARSEC, a UNC Center hosted at PARI. For more information about PARI and its programs, visit www.pari.edu.
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