Mars is the star of the ROUGE 2100 exhibition
Montréal, May 20, 2025 — On June 7 and 8, the Planétarium will be all decked for the AstroFest—a free, unifying event to which Espace pour la vie invites you. Whether you’re driven by a budding curiosity or a consuming passion for the cosmos, the AstroFest is sure to win you over with its rich program on the theme of “Mars – Life in Red”. Over the past 5 years, the AstroFest has become THE annual rendezvous for stargazers. During the day, there are scientific activities for the whole family, and on Saturday evening, cosmic buffs are invited to an evening of marshmallows, telescopes, lectures, DJs, and cocktails!
Mars in the spotlight
A planet that has been the stuff of space travel fantasies for centuries, Mars is the star of the ROUGE 2100 exhibition, which will be open free of charge until midnight for the occasion! The red planet, which will be visible in the sky, high above the horizon, from dusk onwards, will also be at the heart of the activities on offer throughout the day. This is a phenomenon that only happens every 26 months! Although we know more about certain regions of the Martian surface than we do about the bottom of the Earth’s oceans, there is still so much to explore on this “neighbouring” planet.
Learn about astronomy, have a good time, and broaden your knowledge
Telescope observations of the Sun (by day) and of the Moon and Mars (by night), face painting, street entertainment, storytelling for children, festive food ($) and a variety of events designed to appeal to a wide audience—the table is set for a great celebration of astronomy!
Saturday, June 7 — Sunday, June 8
Saturday, 10 am to 10 pm
Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm
Free science activities
Creative workshops, information kiosks, fascinating interactive experiences, sky-watching and more
- The great stamp hunt, so you don’t miss a thing at AstroFest
- Make your own water rockets and launch them in the sky
- Make your own pretty convincing meteorite out of plasticine
- Build your own robot “Mars-mobile” for a mission to the red planet
Saturday, 7 to 9 pm
Duo of lectures under the immersive dome
Physical characteristics of Mars with our surprise speaker
&
A little visit to Mars
Ethical and social issues surrounding human flights to Mars, with Planétarium director Olivier Hernandez
Saturday, 9 pm to midnight
Marshmallows, music and telescopes
Marshmallows, cocktails ($) and stargazing through a telescope. A pleasant evening of music around the fire, with DJ Vincent Lemieux
In case of bad weather, the DJ will give a musical performance inside the Chaos Theatre under projections of the night sky.
Saturday, 9 am to midnight
Sunday, 9 am to 6 pm
The ROUGE 2100 immersive exhibition is accessible free of charge throughout the AstroFest.
Keep an eye on the schedule
Shows are scheduled inside the Planétarium theatres throughout the AstroFest. Check out the film schedule to enhance your visit.
All AstroFest activities are free of charge, although usual fees continue to apply to regular programming in the Planétarium theaters.
Outdoor activities will be cancelled in the event of rain.
Complete AstroFest program available here
Complete AstroFest program
Alternative transportation: Viau metro, Bixi stations and buses #34, 125, 136
Espace pour la vie
Protecting biodiversity and the environment is at the heart of the mission of Espace pour la vie, which groups the Biodôme, the Biosphère, the Insectarium, the Jardin botanique and the Planétarium. Together, these Montreal museums form the largest natural-science complex in Canada, and each year welcome more than 2.5 million people. In light of the challenges facing our planet, Espace pour la vie is working on expanding its impact by fostering dialogue with communities and by taking actions aimed at engaging the population on the path to socioecological transition.
Source Service d’Espace pour la vie
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