Currently at its distance from Earth, the planet Mars benefits from good observation conditions. The Star Balcony in Latrape, south of Toulouse, invites you to use its facilities to capture all its beauty.
The Balcon des Étoiles, the observatory in the village of Latrape (40 km south of Toulouse), is offering a special Planet Mars evening this Saturday January 18th from 5 p.m.
Mythical planet of the solar system, 230 million kilometers from the Sun on average, Mars is currently benefiting from exceptional observation conditions from which must come. The astronomers remember the star balcony “its bright red, identifiable in the early evening, very high in the sky, on the horizon in the constellation of Gemini”. This altitude facilitates its observation and all the more so since it is currently as close as possible to the Earth, at 96 million kilometers and in perfect opposition to the Sun, a phenomenon that is reproduced every two years.
Volcanoes, craters, polar ice caps
During this special evening, the connections of the Reunion and the Cayenne observatories allow the precise position of the march in the sky. Then, through a telescope, discover its largest volcanoes and craters or its polar caps. The program also plans to engage with visitors, March satellites, exploration and travel programs and many other mysteries of this planet through quizzes, slideshows and a planetarium session.