IN BRIEF Cité de l’espace: a space for exploration to discover the universe. Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace: the largest aeronautical museum in France, located 10 minutes from Paris. Educational Exhibitions: a playful way to understand the conquest of space. Explore Space: exhibiting distant worlds through immersive installations. Guided Tours: for an enriching experience … Read more
IN BRIEF Gravitational waves: oscillations of the curvature of space-time. Produced by cosmic events such as supernovae and black holes. Validation of general relativity by Albert Einstein in 1916. Detection possible thanks to installations like LIGO. Important consequences for modern astrophysics and the study of universes. Access to invisible phenomena that enrich our understanding of … Read more
IN BRIEF Modern astronomy: exploration of current instruments. Measuring instruments essential for observing celestial bodies. Telescopes: primary tools for capturing celestial light. Binoscopes: used for detailed observation. Spectroscopy: analysis of visible and invisible light. Astrolabe: historical instrument for measuring the sky. Advanced technologies: tools like Absolute Arm and Leica Tracker. Optics: understanding the properties of … Read more
IN BRIEF Observable universe : Visible part of the universe, limited by the cosmic horizon. Size of the universe : Estimated to be at least 96 billion light-years. Cosmic horizon : Boundary beyond which the universe remains opaque. Cosmic microwave background : Light from the Big Bang visible at about 13.8 billion light-years. Expansion of … Read more
IN BRIEF K2-18b: possible shelter for extraterrestrial life. Habitable exoplanets: fewer than expected. Multiplication of discoveries of planetary systems. Importance of advanced telescopes in the research. Search for signs of life in the atmospheres of exoplanets. International collaboration to explore habitable planets. New strategies to detect extraterrestrial life. Reflection on the intellectual challenges of this … Read more
IN BRIEF The rover Curiosity discovered the presence of sulfates on Mars, indicating an environment conducive to life. Pure sulfur was identified for the first time, enriching our knowledge of the red planet. A study revealed fossil evidence of a cyclic climate, similar to that of Earth. Scientists discovered a volcano with an impressive height … Read more
IN BRIEF Spiral galaxies: grouping of hundreds of billions of stars Structure in the shape of a disk and central bulge Formed by the collapse of hydrogen and helium clouds Spiral arms influenced by giant molecular clouds Notable examples like the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy Variety of shapes: spiral, elliptical, barred, and irregular … Read more
IN BRIEF Definition: Celestial objects with intense gravitational fields. Composition: Very compact, high mass/size ratio. Role: Impact on the growth of galaxies. Event horizon: Limit beyond which nothing can escape. Time travel: The gravity of a black hole allows for time dilation. Environment: Influence on galactic structures and their dynamics. Scientific research: Studies conducted to … Read more
IN SHORT Birth: Formation of a star from a nebula. Main sequence phase: Stabilization and fusion of hydrogen into helium. Red giant: Expansion as hydrogen depletes, the star becomes a red giant. Variable end: Depending on its mass, it can become a white dwarf or explode into a supernova. To die: Results in a supernova … Read more
IN BRIEF Star formation: Formation from the gravitational contraction of a nebula. Protostars: Clouds of gas that continue to contract to develop a star. Composition: Balls of gas mainly composed of hydrogen and helium. Process: Gravitational collapse of interstellar clouds. Stellar evolution: Life cycle encompassing the birth, evolution, and death of stars. Ongoing formation: About … Read more