Astronomy Center and Planetarium

The Astronomy Center and Planetarium of Saint Michel l'Observatoire invites you to observe the starry sky and dive into the heart of the mysteries of the Universe. Throughout the year, passionate guides will provide you with unforgettable moments. Evenings of naked-eye and instrumental observations, solar observations, planetarium sessions, conferences, and other scientific events. Not to be missed: the L'été Astro festival, a concentration of all these offerings with the added bonus of the song of the cicadas.

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Le The Astronomy Center and the Planetarium of Haute-Provence are located on the Moulin à Vent plateau in the village of Saint-Michel-l'ObservatoireThey each offer complementary activities around the discovery of the universe and the stars. These are different locations of the Haute-Provence Observatory, which is the CNRS research center.

Discover astronomy, observe the sun and starry sky

Sky observation is exceptional in the Alpes de Haute Provence department. There are indeed excellent factors for astronomy: 

• 300 days of sunshine a year, 
• good air brightness, 
• few urban lights…

Observe the stars with the Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire Astronomy Center, which welcomes you throughout the year. Here are some of the many activities offered by science guides. This tour is available during the day or at night.  

Observe the Sun in broad daylight

Observe the sun in broad daylight without hurting your eyes! This is amazing and possible thanks to an observation instrument, the Siderostat. It's a giant telescope and an amphitheater, unique in France. You can watch the projection of the Sun live on a big screen. And with the solar telescope, you will also see solar spots and flares! 

There are even sessions dedicated to children from 6 years old.

Discovering the stars at night

Spend a guided evening exploring the sky. Guides will show you the sky on a big screen, then you'll learn to spot the constellations outdoors with your naked eye. You'll observe the stars in the heart of a beautiful night. Thrills guaranteed!  Finally, with telescopes, continue to dream while observing the most beautiful celestial objects: planets, galaxies and other stars.

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Always further for informed audiences

If you're already a fan of nighttime observation, these evenings are for you! You'll learn how to use a 200mm diameter Dobsonian telescope. The deep sky and its stars will no longer hold any secrets for you: nebulae, galaxies, star clusters will be within your reach...

With the T760, the Center's largest telescope, measuring 760 mm in diameter, you can also observe deep celestial objects. Its location in the Astronomy Center also allows for a 360° view of the Provençal sky.

Enjoy a unique experience at the Haute-Provence Planetarium

The planetarium is a 360°, circular cinema with a domeThis allows the celestial vault and the movement of the planets in the sky to be projected with immersive films.

You are comfortably seated in your armchair, let yourself be told about the stars and the sky...and vibrate as you dive into the starry skyIndeed, a session at the planetarium combines the screening of an immersive film with a presentation of the sky guided and commented by a scientific mediator.

Sessions adapted according to age

Planetarium sessions are ideal for families, with sessions dedicated to children of different ages. Four different shows will thrill and inspire your children to experience wonderful adventures...

• “3,2,1, 4, 6 Blast Off!”, for ages XNUMX-XNUMX, tells the story of Elon the hamster, a scientist living in a junkyard. He repairs a robot that comes from a spaceship on its way to Mars…
• “Lucia, the Secret of the Shooting Stars”, for 6-12 year olds, is an animated film where Vladimir, the polar bear, who sets out to study the northern lights, ends up on the moon...
• “Voyager”, for ages 12 and up, discovering the Solar System tells the story of the two space probes (Voyager 1 and 2) that were launched to explore the most distant planets in the solar system: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune with their moons.
• Exoplanets, the new worlds, for ages 12 and up, hosted and commented by a guide, presents discoveries obtained using OHP observation instruments.

Our selection of activities

Highligths

Join us every summer for a new edition of the Astro Summer Festival! Spend an evening under the stars and leave with memories galoreWhether you are curious, an amateur or an expert, you will find what you are looking for in the many activities on offer. 

During the summer, the Astronomy Center is open every day. It offers even more possibilities for observing the sun and the starry sky, including event evenings, conferences or themed evenings under the celestial vault.

Answers to your questions