If you are fascinated with science and the stars, the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) makes for a unique visit while you are in the Asheville area. The PARI site was initially developed by NASA in 1962 as the east coast facility to track satellites and monitor manned space flights. Located in the half-million acre Pisgah National Forest near Brevard and about 30 miles southwest of Asheville, North Carolina, the PARI campus is a well-protected site for astronomy and should remain so for generations to come. The 200-acre campus contains 30 buildings.
Today, Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute is an impressive and unique not-for-profit facility dedicated to providing hands-on educational and research opportunities for a broad cross-section of users in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines. This world-class research center provides educational opportunities for all levels and ages of students. PARI has offered a hands-on working laboratory to young and seniors alike for more than ten years. Each year PARI excites the scientific imaginations of more than 20,000 people. Visitors to PARI have the opportunity to not only observe science, but to participate in scientific exploration.
Scientific instruments at PARI include: two 26 meter (85ft) radio telescopes, a 12.2 meter (40ft) radio telescope housed in a radome, a 4.6 meter (15ft) radio telescope (dubbed “Smiley” and operated remotely by high school students), a high frequency Jupiter-Io/Solar antenna, several optical telescopes on the PARI Optical Ridge, five weather and atmospheric monitoring stations, and various environmental monitoring instruments.
During the week, Monday through Friday, PARI is open to visitors from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm. Visitors are welcome for self guided tours of PARI's Galaxy Walk, the extensive astronomical poster, print and space memorabilia displays and the historical site of the first 26 Meter Antenna used to communicate with astronauts during the early NASA missions. Drive throughout the 200-acre site, receive materials about the history of the site and current programs. After touring the site, shop at the PARI gift shop, talk with astronomers and science educators and arrange for additional tours and lectures. Guided tours are only available during weekly, monthly and annually scheduled events or by special arrangement.
Guided Tours: PARI offers guided tours of the facility on most Wednesday afternoons at 2 PM. Reservations are necessary and can be made by calling 828-862-5554. The tours last about 1.5 hours. There is a nominal fee of $5.00 per person with no charge for children under 10. Driving time to the site from downtown Brevard is about 25 minutes. The visit features a guided tour of our PARI's Galaxy Walk.
Evening at PARI: For a unique romantic outing, make reservations on the second Friday of each month for an Evening at PARI. The evening includes a tour of PARI, a talk about recent events in astronomy, and if the weather is clear, they provide optical telescopes to view the planets, Moon, and other celestial objects.
Space Day: PARI holds an annual Space Day open house that brings hundreds of people to the campus for a full day of programs and activities.
Current collections: The Astronomical Photographic Data Archive (APDA), the International Astronomical Union's endorsed site for the preservation of Time Domain Astronomy; the extensive poster, picture and memorabilia display of astronomy and space exploration; the walking tour of the "Galaxy Walk" display of our solar system; historical instruments used in the early NASA missions (including the first 26 Meter antenna used to communicate with the astronauts); and observe radio astronomy being conducted by PARI astronomers and visiting scientists.
Astronomical Photographic Data Archive (APDA): PARI currently houses a permanent collection of more than 100,000 astronomical photographic glass plates and film, and has been chosen by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) as the primary North American repository for these valuable historical artifacts. Working closely with the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, the U.S. Naval Observatory and numerous universities, PARI is helping digitize and store these priceless records. Visitors to PARI are able to observe this process.
Historical Instruments: The PARI campus itself contains several instruments that are of significant historical importance as they were part of the early days of the U.S. space program. The campus was one of the first sites developed by NASA to track satellites and communicate with the early astronaut pioneers. PARI’s 26m (85ft) East radio telescope was the first of its type to be constructed. Today, the massive 400 ton instrument and a similar 26m West radio telescope are used for training and research by PARI astronomers, visiting faculty and students and are demonstrated for visitors.
PARI Library: Visitors to PARI can browse through the PARI library and find original journals and records going back to the mid 1800’s. The PARI library collection is comprised of a large number of rare books concerning astronomy, mathematics, engineering and other sciences.
Streaming Scientific Instrument Data: Real-time data from many instruments is available on-line via the Internet over PARI’s broadband connection. As a member of the Grassroots Museum Collaborative, PARI is now seeking funds to develop online scientific exhibits and interactive displays that can be used by visitors to other museums throughout North Carolina.
StarLab Planetarium: Some 55,000 people have attended planetarium shows with programs ranging from demonstrations of basic shapes and objects to discussion of how many cultures have observed the night sky in the program entitled “Stars of My People.” Shows are conducted in the 7,500 square foot StarLab building.
Group Presentations: Customized presentations are available for all types of groups. The School for Galactic Radio Astronomy trains teachers and others to remotely use PARI’s radio antenna over the Internet. Astronomy clubs, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, high school reunions, college students, K-12 student groups, homeschoolers and professional associations have come to PARI to experience a place where science comes out of the classroom and into the realm of the imagination.
The natural scenic beauty of the PARI campus is partly responsible for its importance as a scientific resource. Located in the half-million acre Pisgah National Forest, the campus is protected for generations to come from man-made light pollution and radio interference. During the early days of the nation’s space program, NASA recognized the intrinsic value of the location when it was conducting a worldwide search for sites to host its network of satellite tracking and data collection stations. At the current PARI site in 1962, NASA built the Rosman Research Station to be the nation’s primary east coast satellite-tracking facility.
In 1981, the Rosman Research Station was transferred to the Department of Defense (DOD) and used for satellite data collection. At its peak, about 350 people were employed at the Rosman facility. During the years of active operation, it is estimated that the government invested several hundred million dollars in the site.
In 1995, the facility was closed and DOD operations were consolidated elsewhere. Of the 23 antennae, 19 were moved to other locations and most of the instrumentation and electronics were removed from the site. However, the bulk of the infrastructure remained and was maintained by the USDA Forest Service.
After several years of inactivity at the site, the government decided to dismantle the facility and let it return to the forest. Recognizing the tremendous value and potential for the site, a small group of scientists and business leaders decided to step in. A not-for-profit public foundation was established in September 1998. In January 1999, the site was acquired through private funds and gifted to the foundation. The Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute was born: a 200-acre infant with a proud heritage, untapped potential and vast needs.
Of the government investment over the years, it is estimated that what was left at the PARI campus represents a value of about $200 million. Much of the initial work at PARI was oriented to restoring the facility and its instruments to the level necessary for scientific and educational purposes. For example, PARI invested about a million dollars to upgrade the electronic drives and computer controls for the two 26 meter radio telescopes. Overall, the private monetary investment in the facility is more than $10 million and the time investment by literally hundreds of people is beyond calculation. Today, PARI has a fulltime salaried staff, a network of consultants and an active roster of several dozen volunteer workers.
For more, go to the PARI website.