Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon (CRAL)

Within 35 minutes the film explores the inspiration and the story behind MUSE, why it was needed how it came into life over a nine year long development phase. It highlights the needed international European cooperation to realise the project and the participation of some of the hundreds of researchers, technicians and engineers involved. The innovative technology of MUSE and the front-line science done with it are discussed as well. Also the delicate installation process and the moment of…

The Youtube channel Zeste de science explores all aspects of scientific research, proving that even the most complicated scientific facts can be explained in less than 5 minutes, and that even the most seemingly trivial events of everyday life, if thoroughly studied, can contribute to the biggest technological advances. Episode 4: Powerful computers have enabled scientists to create cosmological simulations able to reenact the evolution of the Universe. These simulations provide…

With an average of over one scientific article a day being published, the Very Large Telescope (VLT) is the astronomic observatory with the biggest scientific output in the world. As shown in this video, 2015 is to be a year abounding with discoveries especially with the Muse and Sphere instruments produced in French laboratories and mounted in Chile over the last year. This video was created from VLT, as a gateway to the stars. It is a film by Roland Bacon, astrophysicist, to be viewed via…

A portrait of Roland Bacon, astrophysicist at the Lyon Astrophysical Research Centre (CRAL). It is in the Atacama desert, in Chile, at the foot of the European Observatory of Cerro Paranal that Bacon shares with us his personal vision of scientific research between pure science and poetry. He looks back at his career path, professional encounters and questions that led to the development of new projects. The MUSE (Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer) instrument is an example and was chosen to…