George Eastman House hosts 'Wish You Were Here' lecture Jan. 9 with NASA astronaut Donald Pettit

Pettit to present "An Astronaut's Guide to Photography in Space"

The George Eastman House has announced it will extend its "Wish You Were Here" lecture series into the new year with chemical engineer, NASA astronaut and photographer Donald Pettit, Ph.D. Pettit will present his lecture, "An Astronaut's Guide to Photography in Space," on Thursday, Jan. 9, at 6 p.m., in the Dryden Theatre.

Pettit, a three-time space explorer, was the first astronaut in the history of space exploration to successfully enter a commercially built and operated spacecraft docked in the International Space Station while in orbit. During his time in space - logging more than 370 days orbiting Earth and more than 13 EVA (spacewalking) hours - Pettit amassed an extraordinary portfolio of long-exposure outer space photos he calls "star trails."

The lecture is included with museum admission: $12 adults; $10 seniors (ages 60-plus); $5 students; and free for children ages 12 and under. The museum will also be open until 8 p.m. to allow attendees to view both "The History of Space Photography" and "Astro-Visions" exhibitions before or after the lecture.

The "Wish You Were Here" travel photography lecture series is supported by museum member Thomas N. Tischer. For more information, visit eastmanhouse.org.

George Eastman House holds unparalleled collections, totaling more than four million objects, of photographs, motion pictures, cameras and technology, and photographically illustrated books. Established as an independent nonprofit institution in 1947, it is the world's oldest photography museum and third-largest film archive in the U.S. The museum is in Rochester, and includes the National Historic Landmark house and gardens of George Eastman, the philanthropist and father of popular photography and motion picture film. Learn more at eastmanhouse.org.