Search Results for: dark sky

Dark Sky Astronomy Night – December

An evening for astronomers of all experience levels.

For those who feel most at home under dark mountain skies with their telescope, PARI presents Dark Sky Astronomers Night.  Pack up your equipment and head our way to take advantage of our Dark Sky Park located deep in the Pisgah National Forest and gaze upon your favorite objects.

This is a self-led event using your own equipment.  PARI staff will be on site to direct you to our viewing area with ample parking, a large patio, a level lawn area, and nearby restroom facilities.

Participants of this event are responsible for their own viewing experience. No PARI astronomers will be onsite for this event.

If PARI cancels this event due to unfavorable weather your ticket will be rescheduled for the next event in this series. No refunds will be issued.

REGISTER HERE – DECEMBER 15 – 6:30-8:30pm

See our calendar for future event dates and start times. Requires pre-registration at $15 per individual. Registration ends 24 hours before event start time.

Dark Sky Astronomy Night – November

An evening for astronomers of all experience levels.

For those who feel most at home under dark mountain skies with their telescope, PARI presents Dark Sky Astronomers Night.  Pack up your equipment and head our way to take advantage of our Dark Sky Park located deep in the Pisgah National Forest and gaze upon your favorite objects.

This is a self-led event using your own equipment.  PARI staff will be on site to direct you to our viewing area with ample parking, a large patio, a level lawn area, and nearby restroom facilities.

Participants of this event are responsible for their own viewing experience. No PARI astronomers will be onsite for this event.

If PARI cancels this event due to unfavorable weather your ticket will be rescheduled for the next event in this series. No refunds will be issued.

REGISTER HERE – NOVEMBER 10 – 7-9pm

See our calendar for future event dates and start times. Requires pre-registration at $15 per individual. Registration ends 24 hours before event start time.

Dark Sky Astronomy Night – October

An evening for astronomers of all experience levels.

For those who feel most at home under dark mountain skies with their telescope, PARI presents Dark Sky Astronomers Night.  Pack up your equipment and head our way to take advantage of our Dark Sky Park located deep in the Pisgah National Forest and gaze upon your favorite objects.

This is a self-led event using your own equipment.  PARI staff will be on site to direct you to our viewing area with ample parking, a large patio, a level lawn area, and nearby restroom facilities.

Participants of this event are responsible for their own viewing experience. No PARI astronomers will be onsite for this event.

If PARI cancels this event due to unfavorable weather your ticket will be rescheduled for the next event in this series. No refunds will be issued.

REGISTER HERE – OCTOBER 20 – 8-10pm

See our calendar for future event dates and start times. Requires pre-registration at $15 per individual. Registration ends 24 hours before event start time.

Dark Sky Park

Dark Sky Park

Certified by the International Dark Sky Association (IDA)

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PARI is recognized by the International Dark Sky Association (IDA), as only one of two Dark Sky Parks in North Carolina. We pride ourselves on maintaining a dark night sky, not only because it allows for ideal astronomical observations, but because preserving the night sky also benefits our health and environment.

See just how dark our skies are!

Effects of Light Pollution

Studies have shown that increased light pollution is linked to disruptions in sleep patterns, obesity, diabetes, mental health disorders and various chronic health conditions.  Many species in the wild have evolved to rely on uninterrupted periods of darkness at night and need darkness to survive. A naturally dark site reduces the effects of electric lighting on the environment, improves the well-being, health, and safety of our human and wildlife population and decreases energy consumption.

Protect Our Night Sky

Protecting darkness is key to ecological integrity and sustaining a healthy population and environment. Visit darksky.org to learn more about this initiative.

How to View at PARI

PARI has several options to help you experience our dark skies.  They can all be found on our calendar.

  • For the observer with their own equipment and a quiet night under the stars, look for Dark Sky Astronomy Night events.
  • For an experience guided by a PARI astronomer and paired with talks and other activities, look at our many other evening events.
  • While our focus is on schools, PARI also frequently works with scouting groups, community organizations, clubs, and private groups to create custom experiences.  If your group would like a night time trip to PARI, we recommend planning your visit ahead of time as our calendar fills up fast!

Other Places to View

We hope one of our options can be a part of your visit to the region.  But, if your stay in the Pisgah National Forest doesn’t bring you to PARI, there are some other places star-gazers like to stop that are close by.

These overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway are also nestled deep in the Pisgah National Forest and far from city lights.  Many have ample space to set up a telescope.  You can even see PARI from some!

Sometimes inclement weather can cause the Blue Ridge Parkway to close.  Check their Parkway Road Conditions page before heading out.

Sleeping Under a Dark Sky

Many of our events offer an option for overnight accommodations.  Camping or indoor lodging is available.  Outside of these events, overnight stays are subject to site availability and group size.

Another option is the Pisgah National Forest, which has many campgrounds and other types of overnight options available.  Many require pre-registration and a fee so make sure to check them out ahead of time.  

Plan your visit to PARI

Galaxy Night @ PARI – EVENING VIEWING

Enjoy a dark night sky filled with stars and the most distant wonders of our universe, galaxies!  March skies are brimming with all types of galaxies to see such as starburst galaxies that are rapidly forming new stars; ones that are merging together, great spiral galaxies like the Milky Way, oddly shaped galaxies with supermassive black holes, and many more!

Come learn about what fuels galaxy formation and what these amazing objects can reveal about the universe around us.

PARI astronomers will tell you about the unique history of discovery of our own Milky Way galaxy and all the other galaxies beyond.  Then head outside under the skies of our internationally recognized Dark Sky Park to peer through telescopes at this far reaching wonders.

The EVENING VIEWING TICKET gives you access to PARI telescopes and astronomers for the 2 hour viewing program.

This is a rain or shine event.  If weather does not permit viewing there will be alternate programming.  No refunds will be issued!

Upon registration you will receive a confirmation email.  If you do not get a confirmation email check your spam folder and make sure you add us to your address book.

Preregistration is required.

REGISTER HERE – EVENING VIEWING

Looking for the overnight version of this experience?

Galaxy Night @ PARI – CABIN & CAMPING PACKAGES

Enjoy a dark night sky filled with stars and the most distant wonders of our universe, galaxies!  March skies are brimming with all types of galaxies to see such as starburst galaxies that are rapidly forming new stars; ones that are merging together, great spiral galaxies like the Milky Way, oddly shaped galaxies with supermassive black holes, and many more!

Come learn about what fuels galaxy formation and what these amazing objects can reveal about the universe around us.

PARI astronomers will tell you about the unique history of discovery of our own Milky Way galaxy and all the other galaxies beyond.  Then head outside under the skies of our internationally recognized Dark Sky Park to peer through telescopes at this far reaching wonders.

PURCHASE TICKETS – CABIN PACKAGE

PURCHASE TICKETS – CAMPING PACKAGE

Looking for the Evening Only version of this experience without the overnight stay?