PARI Staff Meet with NCSU Faculty to Discuss Research

Don Cline and Dave Clavier met with North Carolina State University Faculty, Administrators and Researchers to discuss the possibility of locating advanced atmospheric detecting equipment at PARI. They met with Researcher Dr. Russ Philbrick, Dr. Chris Brown, Professors John Fountain, Ray Fornes, Hans Hallen and Assistant Professor Nicholas Meskhidze on Friday, October 10th. Click PHOTOS to see pictures from their meeting

October's Evening at PARI - The Birth of Stars

The October 10th Evening at PARI program featured a talk by Western Carolina University physics professor Dr. Paul Heckert. Click PHOTOS to see pictures from the evening. Click EVENING AT PARI to find out how to register for upcoming Evenings, including the November 14th presentation by Dr. Bob Hayward on Buying a First Telescope. Click PAST PROGRAMS to see pictures from previous Evenings at PARI.

The Clines Fly Their Balloon from PARI

In the early hours of Wednesday, October 1st, Don Cline and PARI Director of Facilities Thad McCall lifted off from PARI's North Ridge in the Cline's hot air balloon. PARI staff served as crew under the direction of Jo Cline. It was a beautiful morning which provided some great scenes. Click PHOTOS to see pictures of the launch and flight.

PARI Staff To Present at GTCC's North Carolina Astronomy Meeting

Don Cline, Michael Castelaz and Christi Whitworth will be giving presenting posters and giving formal presentations at the 7th annual North Carolina Astronomy Meeting at Guilford Technical Community College on October 13-14, 2008. PARI has supported this event for several years. GTCC is the site of the Cline Observatory, which was donated by Don and Jo Cline. Click PHOTOS to see pictures from last year's event.

26 Meter Radio Antenna Being Prepared for Major Work

Work continues this week on PARI's two signature instruments, the 26 Meter Radio Antenna, to prepare them for work that will be done on them later this month by DFM Engineering. Last week PARI staff affixed optical telescope mounts to the feedboxes. See PHOTOS of that work. This week new cables are being installed. DFM Engineering will use optical telescopes to verify pointing of the instruments after they have been up-fitted with new equipment. The mounts were designed and fabricated by the NSF-Sponsored DIRV team, including Dr. Don Hutchinson.

Recent Visitors to PARI

Dr. Fran Nolan, Executive Director of the North Carolina Grassroots Science Museum Collaborative, came to visit PARI on Thursday, October 9th. PARI is a member of the Grassroots Collaborative. In 2007 Dr. Nolan was named a Special Friend of PARI.  Also visiting PARI that day was MCNC President and CEO Joe Freddoso and MCNC Communications Associate April Connery. Joe is a 2006 Distinguished Supporter and a 2007 Special Friend of PARI. Click PHOTOS see pictures of their visit.

Now is the Time to Visit PARI

If you have been thinking about visiting PARI, but have been putting it off, consider coming now, during leaf season. Each year during the changing of the leaves, PARI presents a unique view of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Pisgah National Forest. Click PHOTOS to see the latest pictures of the changing leaves. Consider PARI's weekly docent-led tours each Wednesday at 2:00 pm or attending one of our popular Evening at PARI programs.  

PDI/DSTA Group Visits PARI

PARI hosted a group from the Partnership for Defense Innovation/Defense Security Technology Accelerator on Monday, September 22, 2008. The visitors met with Dave Clavier, Lamar Owen and Ben Goldsmith during their tour. Click PHOTOS to see pictures from their visit. PDI/DSTA Director of Special Projects Joan Myers and PDI/DSTA Program Manager Clay Porter brought the group to PARI. Joan is a Friends of PARI Distinguished Supporter.

Friends of PARI Annual Meeting and Symposium

The 2008 Friends of PARI Annual Meeting and Symposium was held Friday, September 12, 2008 at PARI. More than 50 people attended the event. The guest speaker was Dr. Bob McMahan, Dean of the Kimmel School of Engineering at Western Carolina University. Click PHOTOS to see pictures taken at the event. Highlights of the evening included: Recognition of DISTINGUISHED SUPPORTERS, Dedication of the BARRY LASKER SCANNING LABORATORY, and a presentation by Pleiades Consulting on PARI IN SECOND LIFE.

Space Science Labs Highlight a Summer with Students at PARI

PARI concluded its second 2008 Burroughs Wellcome sponsored Space Science Lab. Click SSL SESSION TWO to see pictures of the scholar's activities. Click SSL SESSION ONE to see pictures from the first program which as held the previous week. Last month young people from the Transylvania Boys and Girls Club attended a United Way sponsored Space Camp. Click B&G CLUB to see pictures. This year's R.O.B.O.T.S. Symposium featuring students from across North Carolina who came to PARI on July 17-18 for a robotics competition was a big success. Click ROBOTS to see pictures from the event. Earlier in July, The Initiative for Transforming and Sustaining Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program from NC Central University was here. Click ITSSTEM to see pictures from their visit. July 14th middle schoolers from the SWCC sponsored GEAR UP program came to PARI.

The Terrys and the Grahams Tour PARI

Kenn and Sissy Terry from Cashiers and Tip and Diane Graham from Bald Rock toured PARI on Thursday, September 25th. PARI staff gave the group a guided tour of the site. Click PHOTOS to see pictures from their visit. Docent led tours of PARI are available every Wednesday at 2:00 pm. If you are interested in arranging a private tour, contact Christi Whitworth at (828) 877-6348.

Major Engineering Projects at PARI This Summer

In addition to the many educational programs conducted this past summer, PARI staff and volunteers were very busy with several major engineering projects. Some of the projects included: commissioning the NASA/STSci donated MicroD scanners, constructing the feeds for the planned interferometer, preparing for the 26 Meter antenna upgrades and other projects as PARI prepares to engage in exciting new research projects. Click PHOTOS to see some of work on these projects.

PARI Hosted Duke TIP for the Seventh Straight Year

Twenty nine high school students from across the country left PARI on Saturday, June 28th, after completing their two week Duke Talent Identification Program (TIP). The TIP program at PARI is entitled, "Above and Beyond: Astronomy, Physics & Astrobiology." This is the seventh year that PARI has hosted this summer program and it was the largest and most exciting to date. Click PHOTOS to see pictures of the Duke TIP program at PARI.

Weekly Tours of PARI Continue in 2008

Tours continue every Wednesday at PARI at 2:00 pm. The tours are being led by trained docents who give visitors a behind-the-scenes look at PARI. Visitors are able to spend time observing the exciting education and research programs at PARI. Click TOURS for more information about how to sign up for a Wednesday afternoon tour. Click PHOTOS to see pictures from the most recent tours.

PARI Receives Equipment from NASA and STSci

PARI President Don Cline, Vice President Dave Clavier and Site Engineer Ben Goldsmith were in Baltimore the first week in April picking up a very exciting equipment donation from NASA and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STSci). They were assisted by the president of IPD Tech Larry Avril. NASA and STSci donated two historic and valuable instruments that will support our Astronomical Photographic Data Archive (APDA). The microdensitometers were used to scan the plates of the night sky used to plan the Hubble Telescope project. At PARI these instruments will be used to scan APDA plates and film. Click PHOTOS to see pictures of theses research instruments and the move.

Photos of the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute

Located on the site of the former NASA Rosman Tracking Station in the Pisgah National Forest, PARI offers an unparalleled opportunity for people of all ages to experience the wonders of scientific research first hand. Click PHOTOS to see pictures of PARI taken at various times throughout the year.