Voyage dans les arcanes du ciel profond

A journey into the mysteries of deep space

(THE FINAL?) JOURNEY INTO THE MYSTERIES OF THE DEEP SKY.
Presented by Pierre Le Fur,
Lecturer, Doctor of Physics, holder of a higher teaching post, former teacher in the
Preparatory Classes for the Grandes Écoles. Knight of the Order of Academic Palms.

In this first half of the 21st century, an extraordinary digital window has opened onto the
deep sky, from stars to galaxies: smart telescopes are revolutionising amateur astronomy
just as much as smartphones have transformed our way of life.
At the same time, progress in professional astronomy has been exponential, and the results
achieved at major ground-based and space observatories are breathtaking. In particular, the mysteries
of the deep sky are becoming increasingly clear, with ever greater precision and data. This has led to
new maps of the celestial sphere, from our galaxy, the Milky Way, to the far reaches of the universe,
teeming with quasars and other young, active galaxies.
Armed with these new cosmographic maps, I therefore invite you on a journey without moving from the spot, which
will take us beyond a billion light-years as we mentally retrace the path of the photons
emitted by distant stars. I shall demonstrate that this journey is now possible for each and every one
of us – mere sky-watchers equipped with a smart telescope – whereas it was unimaginable just
fifteen years ago. Access to the wonders of the sky is now well within our reach.
Let us make the most of this window of opportunity whilst it remains open, for it may close very soon, a victim of the
new light pollution caused by constellations of satellites and other space mirrors, which pose a
very serious threat of making the sky bright even in the dead of ‘night’ across the entire Earth, no one will
be spared.
So tonight, let’s explore together these secret paths full of surprises, from colourful nebulae
to swirling galaxies: ‘Let’s go and see!’