On August 15 and 16, Domaine Saint-Bernard, in collaboration with the Mont-Tremblant astronomy club, will welcome the population for its Perséid festival. From 7 p.m. to midnight, the two evenings will make it possible to admire the shooting stars and participate in activities in an environment without light pollution, conducive to observation.
Located between the mountain and the forest, the Saint-Bernard estate offers a sky free of light pollution, which makes it a popular place for astronomical observation. Samantha Desmarais, communication and marketing strategist at the field, underlines that “the sky of the Saint-Bernard domain is a unique sky. She specifies that the Velan pavilion, built with a dome, houses the second largest telescope accessible to the public in Quebec, used throughout the year during regular observation evenings.
An educational mission
The festival reflects the commitment of the field to offer educational and unifying experiences. “The Perseid Festival is a bit of an opportunity to come together around astronomy,” explains Samantha Desmarais. “For us, it is very close to our mission for the field. We have this desire to make a difference for the citizens of Mont-Tremblant and the surroundings. »»
A touristy event
The festival attracts an audience from all over Quebec every year. The 2024 edition brought together 533 participants despite a single evening held due to the weather. This year, with two planned evenings, the team expects increased attendance. “We realized that it is also a big tourist attraction outside the region,” notes Samantha Desmarais.
Activities offered
One of the most popular activities during this event is the hike on the Planet path, an immersive walk of about 45 minutes on a path fitted out to represent the distances between the planets on a scale. Led with the flashlight, this activity is very popular, according to Ms. Desmarais.
A few steps from the Vellan astronomy pavilion, visitors will also be able to participate in guided observations, attend the launch of miniature rockets, observe the sun thanks to solar telescopes during the day and explore the night sky through several astronomical instruments. More than 15 telescopes will be accessible on the site, including the second and third larger public telescopes in Quebec. The family atmosphere will be completed by children’s makeup, food kiosks and areas for families.
From 9 p.m., an open projection on the perseids will enrich the educational component of the festival. This presentation will be preceded by a video of the aerospace engineer Farah Alibay.
A collective experience
According to Ms. Desmarais, the Perseid Festival aims to arouse curiosity and wonder. “We want to create an wonder and people see the association between nature and science,” insists Samantha Desmarais. She describes the moment when participants settle in the field to look at the sky, united by the same collective emotion. “And there, when there are stars, everyone does” Oh! ” WOW! »» It is this shared magic, this connection between science, nature and community, that the team wishes to support visitors.
Carpooling is encouraged to reduce ecological impact and limit the light pollution caused by car headlights. The festival being dependent on weather conditions, an evening canceled on Friday will be postponed to Saturday.
