In August, take advantage of cooler nights and clearer skies to discover collections of stars! Québec’s museums will lend you telescopes to observe stars and constellations. We invite you to travel into space and explore the Universe via their shows and exhibitions. Welcome to another dimension!

A star from the ASTER collection now available as a gift!

Does the starry sky fascinate you? Make a trip to Saint-Louis-du-Ha ! Ha ! to visit ASTER, the interpretive museum for science and astronomy history in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region.

Destination: stars

Rain or shine, the exhibition Head for the stars! presents a voyage through time and space, from Newton’s orchard to the bridge of the frigate La Boudeuse, under the skies of the great navigators of the 1700s. All the secrets of the solar system, the fourth state of matter, and of the influence of the stars on the environment will be unveiled to you. 

A glimpse of the firmament

At sunset under the dome, you can point the telescope at the sun to observe, in complete safety, explosions, sunspots and hot gas filaments in real time. Come nightfall, you can turn the telescope to Saturn’s rings, nebulae, galaxies, and of course, the moon!

Bonus stars

Be sure to consult the observatory’s star registry and select a star to offer to a loved one. A certificate of authenticity accompanies this heavenly gift!

Star showers at ASTROLab

Did you know that the first International Dark Sky Reserve is located right here in Québec? It’s at Parc national du Mont-Mégantic, with ASTROLab, an astronomy interpretation centre, as its guardian.

Morning glories

Every afternoon throughout the summer, ASTROLab offers guided tours of the Mont-Mégantic Observatory, the most powerful one in Canada. In the evening, researchers use the facilities to pursue their world-renowned studies, so benefit from its younger brother, the Popular Observatory, to examine the celestial vault with a telescope, or enjoy the comfortable exterior bleacher area to contemplate the firmament.

On cloudy days, take in the Mouvements célestes multimedia presentation, which demystifies the rhythms of the sky and methods used to situate ourselves using the stars. As for L’Univers infrarouge, it explains infrared studies techniques, which have become the expertise of the Observatory scientific researchers since its creation 40 years ago.

Eventful nights

Don’t miss the fabulous Perseids, which can be seen from August 9 to 13, 2019. On the agenda: a multimedia show, nocturnal walking tour, discussion with astronomers in the Cosmolab, and a visit of the Observatories.

And, especially, don’t forget to make a wish as a shooting star crosses the sky!

Encounters of the third kind at Planétarium Rio Tinto Alcan!

For a full visual and sensory immersion, pop in to Montréal’s Planétarium Rio Tinto Alcan! An unforgettable experience awaits you!

Back to the future with celestial objects!

Learn more about our Solar System with Passport to the Universe, an incredible journey far from Earth toward the largest structures in the Universe! 

The Planétarium presents visitor favourites, Continuum, a cosmic poem on the connection between humans and the Universe, and Aurōrae, a voyage from space to the Earth’s core, from Montréal to Yellowknife, which provide an understanding of the electrifying aurora borealis phenomenon.

Intended for children age 7 and up, Cosmic Collisions is a show that evokes how the force of gravity enables the formation of planets, stars and galaxies. On the other hand, the film EXO presents research findings on the origins of our world and on the presence of life on other planets.

An exploration of the solar system to track traces of life in the Universe

EXO is also a permanent exhibition that proposes a passionate quest to the heart of the mystery of life and the Universe. Transform yourself into an extraterrestrial or drive a rover on Mars! Astrobiology, extremophile organisms and the richest collection of meteorites in Québec reveal the conditions for the appearance of life forms on Earth, in addition to the existence of possible planetary neighbours.

Visit the far reaches of the solar system alongside scientists who are passionate about astronomy. Discover the characteristics of the different planets, the phenomenal size of celestial objects, and the truly astronomical distances that separate them! And why not try your hand at cooking an original dish or concocting a recipe for… a comet! Don’t miss the Astro-Kids activities!

Immediate boarding call at the Cosmodome!

Welcome to Laval’s Cosmodome, Canada’s only museum devoted entirely to space exploration!

A perilous mission that demands preparation

We need to know where we come from to know where we’re going! Through viewing impressive artifacts like satellites, rocket replicas, spacesuits, engines and flame-throwing nozzles, see how the heroes of space exploration have made it to the moon and travelled in space. An excellent opportunity to keep your astronautics and astronomical knowledge up to date, as it will be important for your mission.

Just like astronauts, train yourself to face the extreme conditions of space travel. Make use of simulators to adapt yourself to the absence of gravity and walking on the moon.

To familiarize yourself with your spaceship, board a replica of the Endeavour, in order to learn how to eat, sleep and carry out complex scientific experiments in an unusual environment.

Ready for takeoff?

What better way to have a successful expedition than carrying out virtual missions as if you were actually there? Start at the launching pad to go walk on the moon or face the extreme conditions of an odyssey to the planet Mars. Prepare for the worst – don’t leave anything to chance! In the immersive special effects booth, challenge yourself to surviving a meterorite shower and braving the icy conditions of a frozen planet.

Attention: the countdown has begun!