Fête de la Science 2023: discover the secrets of the universe at the Paris Institute of Astrophysics

The Fête de la Science is THE national event for learning more about the world around us. From nature and space to the human body, the region's scientists are ready to answer your questions and pass on their vast knowledge. For those who'd like to decipher the secrets of our vast universe, head to theParis Institute of Astrophysics on October 15, 2023.

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Fête de la Science 2024 in Paris and Ile-de-France, free events to discover
The Fête des Sciences returns from October 4 to 14, 2024 for its 33rd edition! What's it all about? A week dedicated to scientific culture, with numerous free events all over France. Experiments, shows, open houses, visits and a host of workshops, open to all and adapted to children, await you in the four corners of Paris and the Île-de-France region! [Read more]

The Fête de la Science program at the Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris:

• Exoplanet trajectory (in the courtyard)
  October 13
  

  The trajectories of solar system planets and an exoplanet are displayed on the ground. Under the guidance of Emmanuel Rollinde, astrophysicist and teacher-researcher at the Laboratoire de Didactique André Revuz, you can walk to the rhythm of perihelion passages, following Keplerian laws.

  
  
  
• 20 minutes with...
  October 13
  

  Find out all about the formation of galaxies, gravitational waves and exoplanets; find out how the Euclid satellite works and how its data will be cleaned up; find out how an astrophysics laboratory works on a day-to-day basis, and how researchers are supported; find out about the career paths that lead to astrophysics research: a unique opportunity to get direct answers to these questions, by meeting members of the Paris Institute of Astrophysics.

  
  
  
• See the northern lights in 3D
  October 13
  

  A multi-disciplinary team comprising a photographer, a researcher and an astrophotographer, working under the banner of the Institut d'astrophysique de Paris (IAP), has just succeeded for the first time in filming the aurora borealis in 3D, in a format suitable for hemispheric screens such as those used in planetariums. This videoprojection presentation in our amphitheater, on a normal screen but with 3D glasses, of sequences filmed in real time, will begin with some background information about binocular vision and the aurora borealis. This project received financial support from Sorbonne University's Labex Plas@Par in 2019.
  To find out more, read the article on the IAP website "Ils n'ont pas froid aux yeux et filient les aurores boréales en 3D": http://www.iap.fr/actualites/avoir/2018/Juin/aurora3d-fr.html
  Registration required, from October 5.

  
  
  
• "Giant Radio Array for Neutrino Detection (GRAND): on the hunt for messengers from the violent Universe".
  October 13
  

  
  Contrary to appearances, the Universe is not a peaceful place, but inhabited by extraordinary stars that explode, spurt and merge, releasing tremendous energy. In the Gobi Desert and the Argentinian pampas, the GRAND (Giant Radio Array for Neutrino Detection) collaboration is currently installing radio antenna arrays covering hundreds of square kilometers, in order to collect messages sent by the most powerful cosmic sources. In addition to "seeing" the Universe via its light, GRAND aims to "touch" it, or even "taste" it, by detecting the particles it sends our way. GRAND is on the hunt for "ultra-high-energy neutrinos", particles that come in three "flavors", pass through everything without interacting, and are endowed with colossal energy, unreproducible on Earth. They have never yet been detected, but they hold the keys to the mysteries of the violent Universe. In this talk, I'll present the adventure of detecting these messengers with GRAND.
  

  
  
  
• Budding astrophysicists
  October 13
  

  "Astrophysics for toddlers" (approx. 40 min), from 1:00 to 2:00 pm: Damien Leborgne, astrophysicist at the IAP, presents the sky, its planets, and the birth, life and death of stars, in a mini-conference for toddlers accompanied by their parents. Recommended age: 3 to 7 years. "Astrophysics for the very young" (approx. 40 min), 2:30 - 3:30 pm: IAP astrophysicist Damien Leborgne presents the sky, its planets, and the birth, life and death of stars, in a mini-conference for very young children accompanied by their parents. Recommended age: 3 to 7. "The Universe explained to children" (approx. 1 hr), from 3:30 to 4:30 pm: Alain Riazuelo, astrophysicist at the IAP, invites children on a journey through the Universe, discovering the solar system, stars, galaxies and beyond. Recommended age: 6 to 11. "The Universe explained to children" (approx. 1 hr), from 4:30pm to 5:30pm: Alain Riazuelo, astrophysicist at the IAP, invites children on a journey through the Universe, discovering the solar system, stars, galaxies and beyond. Recommended age: 6 to 11.
  

  
  
  
• Screening of the film "Voyage au coeur d'un trou noir" (Journey to the heart of a black hole)
  October 13
  

  Using never-before-seen numerical simulations, astrophysicist Alain Riazuelo takes us on a breathtaking adventure, hurtling towards a black hole at almost the speed of light. After inspecting it from every angle and skimming its surface, we take the plunge: a journey to the very heart of the black hole. Designed with the laws of physics in mind, this virtual experience shakes up your intuition and confronts you with strange phenomena, all of which are clearly explained in the film: cosmic rear-view mirrors, ghostly images, stars that change color, a celestial vault concentrated into a luminous ball. A journey as educational as it is aesthetic.
  The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with Alain Riazuelo.
  A film produced by Science et Avenir magazine.

  
  
  
• "Is the Universe ecological?"
  October 13
  

  We hear that the planet is threatened and must be saved. The planet probably doesn't care, and it's more the fate of humanity that's at stake in this realization. Ecology deals with the relationship between the organized activity of a species (in this case, man) and its environment. To understand it, we need to question the laws of nature, which biology and Darwinism provide us with the tools to do. But what does the Universe tell us? A priori, we know nothing about the existence of organized life outside the Earth. We don't even know yet whether life has appeared on Mars. However, we are studying the laws of physics and the way structures have appeared, developed and evolved since the Big Bang. Are these mechanisms free from waste? And from this perspective, does the Earth offer an example to be followed or not? In other words, have we failed to respect the fundamental principles of nature?

  
  
  
• Virtual reality headset visualizations of simulated black hole environments
  October 13
  

  Not afraid of black holes? Even when Alain Riazuelo dons a virtual reality helmet and shows you his latest simulations?
  Continuous from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

  
  
  
• "Star formation as seen by the JWST telescope: from the Orion nebula to outer galaxies"
  October 13
  

  Stars form from the gravitational collapse of the densest parts of interstellar clouds. We now know that these clouds are highly hierarchical, showing similar structures at different spatial scales. What physical processes shape interstellar clouds? How does star formation impact this environment? This conference will address these two fundamental questions, in the light of recent results from the JWST space telescope, which is paving the way for the study of the interstellar medium in outer galaxies.

  
  
  
• Workshop on the history of the Universe and the cosmic microwave background.
  October 13
  

  We often hear that we know only 5% of the content of our Universe, but how is this possible? Discover the cosmic microwave background, the youngest image of the universe we can obtain, which provides us with information about its structure, both past and present.

  
  
  
• Spectroscopy workshop
  October 13
  

  François Sèvre, astrophysicist at the IAP, presents a series of small experiments on light, the basis of modern astronomy. It will be possible to look through a real spectroscope to see emission and absorption spectra. You'll also be able to study the formation of images by reflection, refraction or gravitational lenses. Finally, you can discover the optical content of the Euclid satellite.

  
  
  
• A star-hunting treasure hunt!
  October 13
  

  IAP Escape Game (ages 12 and up) and Chasse aux étoiles treasure hunt (ages 4 and up) concocted by doctoral students at the Paris Institute of Astrophysics. What is Euclid? Are gravitational waves light? How can we detect ultra-high-energy neutrinos? The answers are scattered across the walls of the Institute. Find them and you could win an astrophysical souvenir.

  
  
  
• The Euclid space mission
  October 13
  

  On July 1, 2023, the European satellite Euclid left Earth on an extraordinary mission: to map an entire section of the Universe, in order to understand why the expansion of the Universe is accelerating. No fewer than ten French laboratories are involved in this mission, including the Paris Institute of Astrophysics. A series of educational elements (models, posters, kakemonos... and surprises!) will be on display in the hall and basement of the IAP. For more information: https: //euclid.cnes.fr/

  
  
  
• The solar system
  October 13
  

  It's hard to get a true sense of distances in the Universe, but as soon as you move into the solar system, the values become astronomical and very difficult to imagine. A temporary new look for the IAP's exterior facade is being unveiled this year to coincide with the Fête de la Science, featuring a model of our solar system in two relative scales: one for distance and one for the diameter of objects. Visitors can explore the solar system and appreciate the immensity of the Universe.

  
  
  
• Cosmology research at the Paris Institute of Astrophysics
  October 13
  

  Presentation of educational panels (including on the history of the IAP); meetings with young researchers from the Institute of Astrophysics whose work focuses on cosmology.

  
  
  
• Screening of the film "75 years of the Paris Institute of Astrophysics".
  October 13
  

  Created in 1938 under the Front Populaire and attached to the CNRS from its birth in October 1939, the Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris (IAP) celebrated its 75th anniversary on October 11, 2013. French and foreign researchers take part in the film, talking about their work and the key figures who contributed to the development of the IAP, such as Jean Perrin and Evry Schatzman (CNRS gold medal in 1983).
  A film produced by CNRS Images.