Cosmographe et exposition d'astrophotographies (2020-09-01) by Philippe TosiMuseum d'histoire naturelle et préhistoire de Nîmes
Discover the secrets of the universe
The planetarium has been on the hill at Mont Duplan since 1982. It is a technological marvel in itself, but before entering the projection room, enjoy a space photography exhibition and admire a cosmograph that the city acquired at the end of the 19th century.
Salle de projection planétaire ZEISS ZKP2 (2022-02-02) by Philippe TosiMuseum d'histoire naturelle et préhistoire de Nîmes
The planetary projector
Designed and built at the end of the 1960s, the Zeiss ZKP2 projector is one of the last European optical projectors made. The instrument is positioned in the center of a hemispherical room that measures 26 feet (8 m) in diameter.
Planetaire ZKP2 au planétarium de Nîmes (2022-02-01) by Philippe TosiMuseum d'histoire naturelle et préhistoire de Nîmes
Projection of the starry sky
The planetarium projects the moon, stars, and planets onto the ceiling of the dome. These celestial objects all follow their own paths across the sky, inviting the viewer on a journey through time and space. To keep visitors grounded, there is also a view of the Nîmes skyline.
Aurore polaire Islandaise (2018-03-10) by Philippe TosiMuseum d'histoire naturelle et préhistoire de Nîmes
A mind-blowing experience
Lovers of astronomy will be delighted with what the planetarium has to offer, but the museum aims to educate its visitors as well as entertain them. Let's take a look...
The polar aurora
Also known as the Northern and Southern Lights, these impressive displays are formed on Earth, in our upper atmosphere. They are caused by particles coming from the sun, propelled by solar winds until they come into contact with molecules in our atmosphere, when they produce their mesmerizing light displays.
Premier quartier lunaire (2020-02-29) by Philippe TosiMuseum d'histoire naturelle et préhistoire de Nîmes
Let's rise higher
The Moon is our natural satellite. It was formed 4.51 billion years ago. It watches over us from 238,855 miles (384,400 km) away. The Moon's diameter is roughly the same as the distance from the west to east coasts of Australia. The Moon causes the tides in our oceans and has shielded us from several meteorites.
Nébuleuse des dentelles du Cygne NGC 6960 / restes de supernova (2020-08-10) by Philippe TosiMuseum d'histoire naturelle et préhistoire de Nîmes
The Cygnus Loop
This celestial object is the remnant of a supernova—a star that exploded 40,000 years ago. Matter from this explosion is still spreading through space today.
Galaxie M81 (2019-02-20) by Philippe TosiMuseum d'histoire naturelle et préhistoire de Nîmes
Messier 81 galaxy
This is an example of a spiral galaxy. It is situated 8 million light-years from Earth.
The end of our journey
The more distant the objects we look at, the further back in time we are looking. Stargazing is like traveling through time with every different object we observe.
After spending an hour exploring in pitch darkness, it's time to return to planet Earth.
Réalisation : Ville de Nîmes - Muséum d'histoire naturelle et de préhistoire
Iconographie : © Ville de Nîmes - Muséum d'histoire naturelle et de préhistoire
