The fifteenth edition of the Marrakech Astronomy Festival, an annual meeting for enthusiasts of space and universe sciences, will take place from October 22nd to 26th around the theme "The sky in high colors".
This cultural and scientific event intended to make the sciences of the universe accessible, easy, and fun for the general public is initiated by the Semlalia Faculty of Sciences under the Cadi Ayyad University, the Marrakech Amateur Astronomy Association (3 AM), and the French Institute of the Ochre City.
The Festival, which is now asserting itself as one of the city's emblematic scientific events, is aimed at everyone, from the simple curious person to the most seasoned amateur. Everyone finds something there to inform themselves, to learn, to improve, but also to be moved and to dream.
An enticing program has been concocted by the organizers, with on the menu notably conferences, workshops, exhibitions, and observations in various places in the city (faculties, high schools, and cultural centers).
In addition to giving pride of place to spectroscopy, a Night of the Stars is also scheduled at the Oukaïmeden site with an introduction to reading the sky offered by French astronomer Sébastien Fontaine and observations with the naked eye and with instruments with the members of 3 AM.
This event, which makes Marrakech the capital of astronomy open to all, whether young or old, aims to satisfy the curiosity of amateurs, to introduce young people to astronomy, and to raise awareness of the cultural and scientific importance of this discipline, according to its organizers.
Morocco is full of multiple assets, including high-altitude mountains where telescopes and observatories can be installed. Moreover, the Oukaïmeden University Observatory, perched at an altitude of 2,750 meters, is the first and only observation unit in Morocco. Realized thanks to a tripartite partnership between the Cadi Ayyad University of Marrakech, the Amateur Astronomy Association of the Ochre City, and the Uranoscope of the Ile de France, the Observatory is very active in supervising researchers and supporting the development of the astronomy theme within the University.
