Nights of Stars 2009: the instructions for use
NOUVELOBS.COM | 25.07.2009 | 11: 50
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The Nights of the Stars begins tonight. Visit one of the 300 observation sites to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first step on the moon.
The Andromeda Galaxy (Sipa)
The Andromeda Galaxy (Sipa)
In this World Year of Astronomy, Star Nights are held on July 24, 25 and 26 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of man's first step on the moon. Screenings, conferences, workshops and of course observation of the sky are offered free of charge everywhere in France, but also in Belgium and Switzerland, Italy, Latvia, Albania, Benin and Algeria.
The event takes place this year in July, and not in August like in previous years, so as not to be bothered by the light of the full moon.
In the footsteps of Galileo
There should be fewer shooting stars this year, as there are more of them as August 15 approaches.
In addition to the Milky Voice and Andromeda (the neighboring galaxy located about 24.000 billion kilometers away), one can observe in good weather four of the satellites of Jupiter (Europe, Io, Ganymede and Callisto), the same ones that Galileo observed there 400 years. The previous year, the scientist had started to revolutionize astronomy thanks to the use of a telescope allowing him to see the craters of the Moon and the spots of the Sun.
More than 300 sites
In France, more than 300 observation sites, run by teams of amateur astronomers and enthusiasts, will welcome the public free of charge for one to three nights to look at the sky and better understand it thanks to conferences or exhibitions.
Among the 300 or so sites, there is bound to be an event near you. The complete list of events is available on the Afanet site (Association française d'astronomie).
"Turn off your lights"
To better contemplate the starry sky, more than 60 Hautes-Alpes municipalities have committed to switching off their public lighting on Friday from 23 p.m. to midnight. By launching the slogan: "Tonight, night of the stars, turn off your lights!", According to the Hautes-Alpes department, it is a question of "giving an additional ecological dimension" to this popular festival of the astronomy.
The details of the "Nuits des Etoiles" are available on www.porteauxetoiles.fr.
(Nouvelobs.com)
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