A top Belgian tourist attraction is offering people the chance to do some serious stargazing… and all for free
On Thursday, August 14, starting at 4.30pm, the Euro Space Centre had invited visitors of all ages to a new edition of the “Night of the Stars” (Nuit des Étoiles).
This free event—which requires no reservation—is organized to coincide with the peak of the Perseids, one of the year’s most spectacular meteor showers.
An astronomy-themed programme for the whole family is planned.
At 4.30pm the centre will briefly close its doors to prepare for the evening’s festivities though you can already enjoy solar observations using specialized telescopes on the “Place du Soleil” and discover radio astronomy—a fascinating method of “listening” to our star via its radio waves.
From 5.15pm, the centre will reopen, offering a wide range of scientific and creative workshops suitable for ages 4 and up. Activities include building spectroscopes, 3D constellations, star charts, sundials, FM receivers, and Mars bases—plus a site-wide pulsar hunt.
Mythological storytelling will punctuate the evening, while guided planetarium sessions will help visitors gain a better understanding of the constellations and the wonders of the night sky.
The 2025 “Nuit des Étoiles” features three talks open to the public, presented by Belgian astronomy specialists:
- “Traveling through space with LUNAR·X” by André Füzfa (UNamur)
- “Auroras: a Belgian specialty, too?” by Gaël Cessateur (IASB)
- “Listening to shooting stars with the BRAMS project” by Hervé Lamy (IASB)
There will be live music on the Place du Soleil, astronomy clubs, guided stargazing sessions, themed face painting and on-site dining at the Voyager Café.
A centre spokesman told this site, “Every year, over 2,500 curious visitors, families, and enthusiasts gather at the Centre for a night of discovery and wonder beneath the stars and we expect this year’s version will be just as popular.”
- Photo credit: Euro Space Centre
