Pisgah Pisgah Astronomical Astronomical

Research InstituteResearch Institute

IntroductionIntroduction Pisgah Astronomical Research Pisgah Astronomical Research

Institute (PARI) isInstitute (PARI) is A public not-for-profit public A public not-for-profit public

foundation foundation dedicated to providing research dedicated to providing research

and educational access to radio and educational access to radio and optical astronomy for a and optical astronomy for a broad cross-section of usersbroad cross-section of users

PARI has the infrastructure and PARI has the infrastructure and building space available for:building space available for:

Astronomers, Physicists,Astronomers, Physicists,Engineers, Post-Docs, Graduate Engineers, Post-Docs, Graduate StudentsStudents

Use as a base for science and Use as a base for science and environmental education and environmental education and studies.studies.

Astronomical ObservationsAstronomical Observations Technology Research &Technology Research &

DevelopmentDevelopment Student Research ProjectsStudent Research Projects

NASA began building NASA began building the facility in 1962 for the facility in 1962 for Gemini and Apollo Gemini and Apollo space mission space mission communications. communications.

In a bowl shaped In a bowl shaped valley that serves to valley that serves to shield the antennas shield the antennas within. The remote within. The remote location and 3100 feet location and 3100 feet elevation also elevation also enhances the sky enhances the sky darkness for optical darkness for optical astronomy. astronomy.

It is now the home of It is now the home of PARI.PARI.

PARI is located on 200 acres in PARI is located on 200 acres in the Pisgah Forest near Asheville, the Pisgah Forest near Asheville, NCNC

The site is relatively free of light The site is relatively free of light and radio interference.and radio interference.

History and LocationHistory and Location

* PARI

Observatory Observatory DetailsDetails

Two 26m (85 ft.) antennasTwo 26m (85 ft.) antennas 12.2m (85 ft.) in a radome12.2m (85 ft.) in a radome 4.6m (15 ft.) “Smiley” 4.6m (15 ft.) “Smiley” Jupiter/Solar 17-30MHz AntennasJupiter/Solar 17-30MHz Antennas Five optical telescopesFive optical telescopes

Front of Building One – the Control Center of PARI

Front of Building OneFront of Building One

MultiMedia MultiMedia RoomRoom

Seating for 50Seating for 50 Ethernet throughoutEthernet throughout IBM & Sun workstationsIBM & Sun workstations Physics class demo Physics class demo

materialsmaterials LCD projector for DVD,VHS, LCD projector for DVD,VHS,

S-VHS, tape, viewgraph, S-VHS, tape, viewgraph, computer, wireless mikes computer, wireless mikes and 6.1 surround soundand 6.1 surround sound

Control Control RoomRoom

Main control center Main control center for all antennas and for all antennas and optical instrumentsoptical instruments

26m Radio Telescopes26m Radio Telescopes

26 Meter Radio Telescopes26 Meter Radio Telescopes

The PARI campus has two 26-m (85 ft.) radio telescopes that have recently been modified for precise pointing and sidereal tracking. Each telescope has a suite of feeds and receivers.

These telescopes can be controlled together as an interferometer or operated separately from the master control center.

26 East26 East

327 MHz pulsar feed327 MHz pulsar feed

1420 MHz hydrogen1420 MHz hydrogen

4.8GHz 4.8GHz formaldehydeformaldehyde

6.7GHz methanol6.7GHz methanol

Dual 15hp motors Dual 15hp motors per axis for sidereal per axis for sidereal tracking and tracking and improved efficiency. improved efficiency.

26 West26 West

Engineers taking a bucket truck to one of the 26m Telescope’s Feedbox

26 m Radio Telescope Feed26 m Radio Telescope Feed

12.2 m Radio Telescope12.2 m Radio Telescope

Radome is a pseudo Radome is a pseudo random pattern to random pattern to reduce the dome’s reduce the dome’s structure effects of the structure effects of the antenna pattern antenna pattern

Precision 0.4mm antenna Precision 0.4mm antenna surface supports surface supports operations to 60 GHz.operations to 60 GHz.

This radio telescope may This radio telescope may become the Microwave become the Microwave Astrophysics for Science Astrophysics for Science Education Research Education Research (MASER) Observatory (MASER) Observatory designed to survey the designed to survey the Galactic Plane for water Galactic Plane for water masers occurring in masers occurring in regions of star formation.regions of star formation.

The 4.6-m Radio Telescope“Smiley”

The Smiley 4.6m Radio Telescope

SmileySmiley

To study the powerful radio emission variations as a function of frequency, R. Flagg, and Jim Sky (Radio Sky Publishing) have designed hardware to work with a pair of M-Squared 17-30LP7 log periodic yagis to be used between 17 and 30 MHz.

Solar energy bursts are being measured during the day using this antenna facility.

20 MHz Receiver

20 MHz Receiver20 MHz Receiver

Cosmic Ray Monitor

Seismometer

Earthquake Monitor

Cosmic Ray Monitor

PARI ALSO HAS SEVERAL ATMOSPHERIC AND ENVIRONMENT MONITORING DEVICES

Seismometer and Cosmic Ray MonitorSeismometer and Cosmic Ray Monitor

Weather

Lightning Detector

Lightning Detector

Weather Station

Lightning detector and weather stationLightning detector and weather station

Optical Optical AstronomyAstronomy

Several 20cm to 50cm Several 20cm to 50cm optical telescopes are optical telescopes are involved in variable involved in variable star and gamma ray star and gamma ray burst optical burst optical counterpart research.counterpart research.

A 44 inch mirror will serve A 44 inch mirror will serve as an addition for our optical as an addition for our optical research facilities. Funding research facilities. Funding is being actively sought to is being actively sought to complete construction of complete construction of this telescope.this telescope.

PARI Optical Ridge

• Location: Optical observatories are 500 m from the PARI Main Campus and runs East-West with sharp N-S drop-offs

• Altitude 910 m, Latitude 35O 11.8’ N, Longitude 82O 52.3’ W

• Horizon: Lowest point is 0.25O and highest point is 5O

• Skies: Average of two nights per week for spectroscopy, differential photometry, astrometry

• Ideal for long-term and survey work

Optical Telescope RidgeOptical Telescope Ridge

OVIEW: Two 12.5 cm telescopesThese telescopes are used to direct live images of the Sun and Moon to the Internet

Solar and Lunar TelescopesSolar and Lunar Telescopes

These are roll-off roof observatories. The one on the left (North) is used for gamma ray burst observations and the other (South) is used for variable star observations.

Roll-off Roof ObservatoriesRoll-off Roof Observatories

Telescope inside the South Observatory

0.30m Optical Telescope0.30m Optical Telescope

Present ActivitiesPresent Activities

Astronomers come to PARI to use radio telescopes for their researchAstronomers come to PARI to use radio telescopes for their research

Graduate students conduct their doctoral research at PARIGraduate students conduct their doctoral research at PARI

Undergraduates work with PARI staff scientists on research projectsUndergraduates work with PARI staff scientists on research projects

High school students complete senior research projects at PARIHigh school students complete senior research projects at PARI

High school science teachers attend education workshops at PARIHigh school science teachers attend education workshops at PARI

K-12 students enjoy using the 4.6 m (15 ft.) radio astronomy antennaK-12 students enjoy using the 4.6 m (15 ft.) radio astronomy antenna

K-12, supported by PARI staff, use the STARLAB Planetarium resourcesK-12, supported by PARI staff, use the STARLAB Planetarium resources

PARI facilitates astronomy workshops and regional society meetingsPARI facilitates astronomy workshops and regional society meetings

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II. Overview of Programs and Initiatives

PARI Research and PARI Research and Education ProgramsEducation Programs

StarLaStarLabb 23ft diameter x 13 23ft diameter x 13

feet high inflated feet high inflated portable planetariumportable planetarium

Have given shows to Have given shows to more than 25,000 more than 25,000 children in Western children in Western NCNC

STARLAB PlanetariumSTARLAB Planetarium

Inside the STARLAB Inside the STARLAB PlanetariumPlanetarium

Dr. Hayward sets up STARLAB

Checking out the projector

Guests enter the STARLAB

The show begins

Smiley 4.6mSmiley 4.6m School of Galactic Radio School of Galactic Radio

Astronomy (SGRA) Astronomy (SGRA) Internet Classroom Internet Classroom

Remotely controllable Remotely controllable via the Internetvia the Internet

Teacher workshops to Teacher workshops to use lab workbooks for use lab workbooks for classroom student classroom student trainingtraining

Radio astronomy Radio astronomy electronics and electronics and software projectssoftware projects

1.4 , 4.8, 12 GHz 1.4 , 4.8, 12 GHz frequencies now in usefrequencies now in use

PARI hosts professional astronomer workshops and symposia

More than 200 Volunteers work side-by-side with PARI Engineers and Scientists

PARI has entered into a partnership with the University of North Carolina 16 campus system to form the Pisgah Astronomical Science Research, and Education Center (PARSEC).  

The goals of PARSEC are to:

  Strengthen the existing bond with the UNC system;

  Foster new opportunities for research and education within the system;

  Ensure the future availability of PARI’s resources regionally, nationally, and for the University of North Carolina system.

PARSEC: A UNC Center at PARIPARSEC: A UNC Center at PARI

w w w . p a r i . e d u

View of Main Campus from the View of Main Campus from the Optical Telescope RidgeOptical Telescope Ridge