The Astronomy Village | Dévoluy, in the Hautes-Alpes (05)

Conferencesworkshops and screeningsin Superdévoluy

All day long13 and 14 September2025

WorkshopsWith renowned speakersastronomy

Objective:Free festival100% astronomy

The Astronomy Village

Programme

Two days of total immersion in the stars! Explore, discover and exchange ideas at the many events:

conferences for the general public given by astronomy experts;
scientific stands;
activities for young and old;
live sky observations;
and, of course, open doors at the NOEMA observatory!

Both the curious and the passionate will be able to learn more about the mysteries of the universe at their own pace.

IRAM official website

The conferences

Saturday 13 September
1:00pm-1:30pm: How to capture a weak signal from the depths of the universe?
- 13:45-14:15: From dust to stars: how the birth of stars reveals our cosmic origins
  Ana Lopez-Sepulcre (IRAM)
- 14:30-15:00 : Giant antennas and supercomputers to understand the universe
  Olivier Gentaz (IRAM)
- 15:15-15:45: Auroras: a phenomenon observed on Earth and on other planets
  Mathieu Barthélemy (IPAG)
- 16:00-16:30: The search for the first galaxies with and thanks to the largest telescopes
  Nicolas Laporte (LAM)
- 16:45-17:15: Mission Euclid: a space telescope to track down dark matter and dark energy
  Juan Macias-Pérez & Loux Mirouze (LPSC)
- 17:30-18:30 : Working at NOEMA, the essential jobs at the observatory
  Laure Bouscasse, Jérémy Sarrazin, Jean-Jacques Azpeitia, André Rambaud, Patrick Grillet, Patrick Dumont (IRAM)
- 19:30-21:30: Science vs Science fiction: who influences whom? scientific deciphering and screening of the 7-time Oscar-winning film Gravity
  Samuel Boissier (LAM)
.
Sunday 14 September
- 10:30am-11:00am: At the origin of planets: a story of dust, gas and chemistry
  Romane Le Gal (IRAM)
- 11:15am-11:45am: Turning a signal into an image: Behind the scenes of a space snapshot
  Emmanuel Obermeyer (IRAM)
- 13:00-13:30: Exploring the solar system to learn about its (our) history
  Olivier Poch (IPAG)
- 13:45-14:15: Light in all its states: the challenges of modern astronomy
  Frédéric Gueth (IRAM)
- 14:30-15:00: Supermassive black holes and host galaxies: when science unravels the mysteries of the universe
  Françoise Combes (Observatoire de Paris)
- 15:15-15:45: Black holes: monsters finally revealed thanks to interferometry
  Vincent Piétu (IRAM)
- 16:00-16:30: And tomorrow? Astronomy, society and new challenges
  Guy Perrin (Observatoire de Paris)

Scientific stands

IRAM Technologie: Presentation of the laboratories (frontend receiver, antenna mechanics, superconducting components, electronic backend, precision machining). Meeting with engineers and technical demonstrations.
IRAM Astronomy: Model of NOEMA, discussion with astrophysicists about radio astronomy and major discoveries made with IRAM instruments.
IPAG: Discussion with researchers on stellar, planetary formation. Sundial and armillary sphere workshop, solar/nocturnal observations.
LAM: Discover astrophysical research with models and multi-spectral observations. Find out more about the LAM
Euclid mission: Discover the space telescope that studies dark matter and dark energy.
GAD: Observation and imaging of the sun, night observations, assisted visuals with amateur astronomers
Copernic: Solar observations and explanations by passionate amateur astronomers
Les Hautes-Alpes: Scientific animations

Ipag / Iram flash conferences

10 minutes to understand it all and chat with an astronomer studying or doing a thesis:

Star or planet? – Saturday at 10.30am and 4.30pm and Sunday at 3.30pm
Comets and asteroids – Saturday at 12.30pm and 5.30pm and Sunday at 1.30pm
Beyond the solar system – Saturday at 1.30pm and Sunday at 10.30am, 12.30pm and 5.30pm
The Moon – Saturday at 2.30pm and Sunday at 11.30am
The planets – Saturday at 11.30am and 3.30pm and Sunday at 4.30pm

©Village De L'Astronomie 2022 Patrick Domeyne Addet 51 Copy|Patrick Domeyne

Entertainment

IRAM Mission: Immersive game – Slip into the shoes of a key player at IRAM and take on the challenge of an observation with a twist (ages 10+)

SpaceBus France:

Learning while having fun with workshops on space chemistry (12 years and over), meteorites (7 years and over), popular beliefs and science fiction (8 years and over), making compressed air rockets (6 years and over)

AurorAlpes:

Told Bubbles (ages 7+): Cosmic stories told in peace under a tree. Sessions at 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 4.30pm – Leisure centre
Bookshop: Selection of astronomical books

Cosmic make-up and colouring:

Festive activities

Devoluy Tourist Office:

A discovery of the region

Immersive experiences

Planetarium: Interactive projection of celestial movements. Sessions at 10.30am, 12pm, 2pm, 3.30pm and 5pm
Mission: ISS in virtual reality (over 12s)
Astro-médiathèque: Reading corner and games on astronomy
Planeterrella: Live reproduction of a polar aurora. Sessions at 8.30pm and 9.30pm

Behind the scenes at Noema

Guided tour of the observatory

NOEMA: 12 giant radio astronomy antennas on a site unique in Europe

Join an exclusive one-hour guided tour to discover the mysteries of the universe and the daily lives of the astrophysicists and technicians who observe the invisible, explore the origins of the universe and handle cutting-edge instruments at the top of the Alps.

On reservation, subject to availability. The visit is by name only. Please enter the surname/first name/date of birth of each person attending, individually online.

Please note: access on foot only. Classified as a very difficult hike, approximately 7 hours round trip and 1000m ascent depending on the route chosen.

As the times are fixed, please plan your ascent carefully. In the event of cancellation or modification, please give us at least 24 hours’ notice.

IRAM accepts no responsibility for access to the site and reserves the right to cancel visits for any reason whatsoever.

Book my guided tour of NOEMA below

Focus on

Practical information

Where?at the Superdévoluy Sports Centre.
When?Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September 2025.
At what time?From 10am to 6pm, with an evening event on Saturday until 10.30pm.
For whom?For everyone, without exception! PRM accessibility in the Village and sports centre.

Map and programme distributed at the entrance.
Restauration: Food-trucks on site and restaurants on the snowfront.
Organiser: IRAM, with the support of the Hautes-Alpes Department and the commune of Dévoluy.