At the Morelia Planetarium “Lic. Felipe Rivera” and the Old Jesuit College Cultural Center in Patzcuaro, around two thousand people enthusiastically took part in the activities of the Noche de las Estrellas 2023 in Michoacán, which main theme was women in space, in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the first space flight of Valentina Tereshkova, a Soviet cosmonaut who was the first woman in space.
The program at both venues included talks by professionals in astronomy and space sciences, hands-on activities for all ages, cultural activities and other special activities, and of course the heart of the Noche de las Estrellas, observing the sky with telescopes.
People enjoyed the Moon, almost in full phase, and the planets Jupiter and Saturn, observed through telescopes handled by members of the Astronomical Society of Michoacán (SAMAC) and volunteers from the Institute of Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics (IRyA) and of the various institutions that participated in both venues.
Noche de las Estrellas in Michoacan, by numbers
Morelia venue
- 8 short talks
- 15 hands-on activities
- 1 hydro rocket display
- 1 painting exhibition
- 1 round table
- 2 cultural presentations
- 12 telescopes
Patzcuaro venue
- 3 short talks
- 2 cultural presentations
- 4 hands-on activities
- 8 telescopes
Photo gallery
Morelia 1
Morelia 2
Pátzcuaro
Local Committee: Noche de las Estrellas 2023 in Michoacan
The Local Committee of the Noche de las Estrellas 2023, which organized this event at the two venues in our state, is made up of personnel from the Institute of Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics (IRyA) at UNAM, Campus Morelia; the Institute of Science, Technology and Innovation of the Government of the State of Michoacán; the Morelia Planetarium “Lic. Felipe Rivera”, part of the Morelia Convention and Exhibition Center (CECONEXPO); the Secretariat of Economic, Tourism and Cultural Development of Patzcuaro; the Ministry of Culture of the State of Michoacán; and the Astronomical Society of Michoacán, SAMAC.
In addition to these institutions, the program of both venues for the Noche de las Estrellas 2023 included academic, administrative staff and students from UNAM Campus Morelia: Unidad de Vinculación, IGUM, CIGA, ENES Morelia, CCM, Centro Cultural UNAM Morelia, and IIM; from FisMat and IFM of the UMSNH; staff and cultural groups of the State Secretariat of Education; staff of the Patzcuaro City Council; personnel and cultural groups of the State Secretariat of Culture; academics from astronomical research institutions such as IA-UNAM; members of outreach groups and associations such as DiVU A.C and Astrofísicos en Acción; and other invited people and volunteers from different institutions, groups and associations.
Additional information: Noche de las Estrellas
The Noche de las Estrellas is a large astronomical and scientific outreach event that has been held in Mexico since 2009, the International Year of Astronomy. The event is a science festival that includes hands-on activities, talks, cultural activities, telescope observation and many other activities distributed in dozens of venues throughout the country. It is the largest astronomy outreach event in the country as a whole, and is perhaps the largest science dissemination event in general, with an estimated attendance of up to 250,000 people annually adding all venues nationwide.
Its creation is inspired by a similar event held in France in the 1990s. For this reason, initially the Noche de las Estrellas in Mexico involved the French Alliances network. Currently, it brings together the professional astronomical community with the amateur astronomical community, as well as groups and personalities from the outreach and science communication communities, together with municipal and state government entities, to share knowledge related to astronomy and other related sciences in the form of a science fair.
Additional information: Noche de las Estrellas in Michoacan
The first Noche de las Estrellas in Michoacan was held in the Tzintzuntzan Archaeological Zone in 2009, with a record attendance of approx. 8 thousand people. Since that date, the event has been held in various venues in the municipalities of Tzintzuntzan, Patzcuaro and Morelia, including the Morelia Planetarium “Lic. "Felipe Rivera." Although Noche de las Estrellas events have been held previously in the municipality of Patzcuaro, 2023 was the first year that there was a formal venue in this municipality.
Media Contact:
Dr. René A. Ortega Minakata
Divulgación y Comunicación de la Ciencia
IRyA UNAM Campus Morelia
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