A special StarLab Planetarium presentation will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, March 9, at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) in Pisgah Forest.  

PARI Science Educator Stephen Hawk will share stories of the spring constellations. The evening’s activities will include a tour of the PARI campus and celestial observations using PARI’s optical or radio telescopes.

The presentation is part of PARI’s monthly Evening at PARI series and will be conducted inside PARI’s StarLab Planetarium.  

“We’ll be celebrating the Vernal Equinox, the first day of spring,” Hawk said. “I’ll share stories of several prominent springtime constellations around Leo the Lion and also point out where to locate Ursa Major and Minor, as well as Hydra the water snake, the longest constellation in the sky.”

Afterward and outside, weather permitting, PARI staff and volunteers will share observations of visible objects.

Reservations are required and will be accepted until 3 p.m. the day of the event. The cost is $20 per adult, $15 for seniors/military and $10 for children under 14.

www.pari.edu or 828.862.5554.