Lowell Observatory Communications Office 1400 W. Mars Hill Rd. Flagstaff, AZ 86001 www.lowell.edu
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JUNE 29, 2015
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PLUTO PALOOZA COMING TO LOWELL OBSERVATORY
Flagstaff, Az- As the New Horizons spacecraft culminates its nine-year journey to Pluto; Lowell Observatory will celebrate with an entire week of Plu-teriffic activities designed for the entire family. Every day from 10 AM to 10 PM July 11-19, guests will experience spellbinding science demonstrations, gawk at the latest images of Pluto’s surface, build their own spacecraft model, and grab a selfie with Pluto. NASA’s acclaimed Year of Pluto video will also play throughout the day.
Lowell will mark Encounter Day (July 14, when New Horizons makes its much-anticipated closest approach to Pluto) with even more festivities, including live music, Pluto-themed giveaways, astronomy face painting, open houses, and an evening New Horizons phones home celebration.
Lowell Observatory outreach manager Samantha Christensen said, “This will be a wonderful opportunity for visitors to celebrate the New Horizons mission at the observatory where Pluto was discovered. I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be when those incredible images of Pluto start coming in.”
For more information visit; http://lowell.edu/event/new-horizons-week/?instance_id=200 Or https://www.facebook.com/events/399863813541093/
Media Contact Josh Bangle Communications Manager Lowell Observatory (928) 607-1974 [email protected] ###
About Lowell Observatory
Lowell Observatory is an independent, non-profit research institution founded in 1894 by Percival Lowell. The Observatory has been the site of many important discoveries including the detection of the large recessional velocities (redshift) of galaxies by Vesto Slipher in 1912-1914 (a result that led ultimately to the realization the universe is expanding), and the discovery of Pluto by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930. Today, Lowell's 14 astronomers use ground-based telescopes around the world, telescopes in space, and NASA planetary spacecraft to conduct research in diverse areas of astronomy and planetary science. The Observatory welcomes 80,000 visitors each year to its Mars Hill campus in Flagstaff, Arizona for a variety of tours, telescope viewing, and special programs. Lowell Observatory currently operates four research telescopes at its Anderson Mesa dark sky site east of Flagstaff and the 4.3-meter Discovery Channel Telescope near Happy Jack, Arizona.