Space

Go stargazing in France this weekend: find an event near you

This year, the theme of the Nuits des Étoiles is dedicated to the late French-Canadian astrophysicist Hubert Reeves

Look up to see rare comet passing above French skies

Comet passes every 71 years and may be bright enough to view with the naked eye

French astronaut splashes down to earth with heartfelt tricolour Tweet

Thomas Pesquet was part of a crew of four astronauts who had spent 199 days at the International Space Station

French astronaut Thomas Pesquet shares photos of Brittany from space

Aerial pictures of Quiberon, Saint-Malo, Dinard and Brest have been added to the astronaut’s online album of photos taken during Alpha space mission

French school pupils join astronaut Thomas Pesquet for ‘blob’ test

Blobs are single-celled organisms that are neither animal nor vegetable nor fungus and have astonished scientists by their ability to communicate and reverse ageing. Four have been sent into space for experimentation

Partial eclipse of the Sun visible in France today: How to watch

The event will take place today, and your view will depend on where you are in the country. Viewers are warned to buy filter glasses in advance and never look at the Sun directly

High-speed Starlink satellite internet access now available in France

The internet system, run by billionaire Elon Musk, will enable high-speed access in dead zones with no service, but fees are high at €99 a month

Thomas Pesquet: From training in Moscow to lift off in Florida

Today is T-minus zero for France's 'rockstar astronaut,' the first French commander of the ISS. From the archives, read our 2011 interview back when he was a 32-year-old commander-in-training

Astronaut Thomas Pesquet to take Michelin-starred meals to space

Chemist Raphaël Haumont and Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx have created four French meals for the International Space Station

European Space Agency launches search for next Thomas Pesquet

Applications open for the next generation of astronauts as well as people with disabilities to be 'parastronaut' pioneers

French astronaut next International Space Station commander

Thomas Pesquet will be the first French person take on the role when he travels to space in April

France carries out its first-ever military exercise in space

Several simulations of hypothetical space-based situations were run, such as defending French satellites or destroying Earth-bound debris

French wine returns from a year in space

Wine scientists are preparing to see how a case of Bordeaux has changed during 14 months in space

SpaceX’s ‘secret’ planning go-ahead shocks French village

Elon Musk’s satellite ground station has full planning approval and details show between five and 11 domes will feature on the site in Normandy

Scientists ask help to find meteorite in south west France

Local residents in the Lot-et-Garonne could help researchers locate a fragment of meteorite that came from between Mars and Jupiter, and travelled at an estimated 75,000 kph

Humans will walk on Mars in 30 years: French astronaut

As the Perseverance Rover begins its fact-finding mission, a veteran of three shuttle missions predicts humans will set foot on the red planet in the 2040s

French scientists thrilled at latest Mars landing

French scientists developed one of seven key instruments on the rover, while geologists in Lyon chose the landing site for the multibillion-euro mission

Jupiter and Saturn alignment to be visible from France

The two largest planets in our solar system will ‘meet’ in the night sky on December 21 in an event that only happens once every 20 years

Heads up: Shooting stars over France tonight at Geminid peak

Good news for stargazers: Hundreds of meteors will be visible tonight - weather permitting - as the ‘bold, white and quick’ Geminid shower peaks between around 01:00 and 02:00

Watch: Probe built in Toulouse to bring Mars rock to Earth

In 2026 a space probe built in Toulouse will bring rock samples from Mars back to Earth

Name French astronaut's next ISS mission

Simple astronauts' hack to cope in Covid-19 lockdown

Romain Charles spent 520 days in an enclosed space with five other people to study the psychological effects of long-distance space travel, while Léopold Eyharts spent two months on the ISS

Planet Mercury Sun event to be visible from France

The planet Mercury is to pass in front of the Sun early next week, in a rare sight that will be partly visible from mainland France.

French-made device picks up sounds from Planet Mars

Sounds from the Planet Mars have been recorded by a French-made seismometer aboard the Nasa InSight Mars Lander probe, which scientists say may help us understand more about the planet itself.

Best sites in France to watch the stars this weekend

Astronomy experts have recommended seven sites across France from which skygazers should watch the annual “Night of Stars” event, which is set for this weekend (Friday August 2 to Sunday August 4).

France invited to name planet 144 light years away

The French public has been invited to help name a planet located 144 light years from Earth, after its discovery in 2002 by French observatory, l’Observatoire de Haute-Provence .

French scientists detect quake on another planet

Experts hope to learn more about planet's formation by 'listening' to tremors

How to be a space tourist...on terra firma

Keen to explore France’s long history of space exploration, intrepid Samantha David visits Cité de l’Espace in Toulouse

Stellar journey: France’s place in the space race

With a film about the moon landings and lunar anniversaries coming up, Samantha David examines France’s space-bound history and talks exclusively to its only female astronaut

Mumm’s the word for bubbly in space

Champagne Mumm has made bubbly for the first space tourists.

Cévennes Park second in France to get Dark Sky status

The Cévennes National Park in Occitanie has been named as an International Dark Sky Reserve, becoming only the second to be named in France, and the 13th in the world.

Map shows best places to watch weekend meteor shower

A map has been published showing the best places in France to witness the peak of the shooting star meteor shower, the Perseids, this weekend (August 11-12).

Planet Mars probe tech to be piloted from Toulouse

A space probe designed to go to Mars is set to launch tomorrow (Saturday May 5), with its central piece of technology programmed and piloted by engineers in Toulouse.

European Space Agency maps Milky Way

New information from ESA's Gaia space telescope have allowed scientists to map the galaxy as never before

Suspected SpaceX rocket cone found on tiny Breton isle

The two inhabitants of the tiny Breton island of Quéménès have discovered a strange object on the coastline, which they suspect to be the nose cone of an Elon Musk SpaceX rocket.

Mystery 'blue sphere with green tail' seen over Alsace

A “huge blue sphere” has been reported as appearing in the sky over Alsace last night, with witnesses speculating over what the object could have been.

Welcome home, Thomas!

Given that we are in the midst of a resource and pollution crisis down here on Earth, shouldn’t we have better things to do than put men and women on top of vertical fuel tanks and blast them at unimaginable expense into space so they can live for a few months in a high-tech orbiting caravan?