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Virtual expositions:
François ARAGO,
Léon FOUCAULT, "c" à Paris
Travelling Expositions:
Au delà de la Terre, l'Europe explore le système solaire
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"Corot : les coulisses d'une mission spatiale"
What seeks the astronomers which we did not yet discover or
did not understand? What are the great questions which prevent them
from sleeping and to still calculate and to be always astonished?
In fact the Universe is in their eyes and is
printed directly on the screen of their
computers!
After
333 years of existence, the
Paris Observatory has entered the 3rd
millenium
with behind him, an astronomical tradition which pushed it ahead, through
the celestial mechanics and planetology.
Thirst for new knowledge which supported the implementation of
great
instrumental projects on the ground or in
space...
Diversification appeared naturally with the technological
development which allowed researchers to study
objects increasingly farther, always with more spatial,
temporal, spectral resolution... Research then became multi-field and the
pure observation was revolutionized, initially by the invention of
photography, then by the space era. It became model, theories, data
reduction, linking in a profitable union telescopes and data
processing.
And if the methods changed with time,
the objectives
changed too.
The religion had during a long time prevented men from
advancing dared theories, although the
kings had always consulted the stars to achieve their great
intentions... Today astrology, superstition without rational basis,
tries to make a benefit from vain calculations.
Then the sky was only a tool which was used by sailors
to locate themselves. But navigation in
the 17°century meant not only trade but also wars and
conquests. This is one of the reasons for the
the creation
by Louis XIV of the Observatory.
And it is undoubtedly with this dynamics that the Paris Observatory
is the oldest active research
observatory.
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