“One of the most obscure areas in France”: this Brestois photographs the cosmos from the Arrée monts in Brasparts

Pictures and astronomy patterns garnish the premises adjoining the Telescope room, the Pointe du Diable Observatory, on the IMT school site (Télécom Bretagne), in Plouzané. Similarly, It is here that Rodolphe Lacroix receives us to present his book “The color of the stars”. However, just published by Cépaduès Éditions. In addition,

Engineer in nuclear physics. Moreover, this passionate of astronomy sometimes gives lessons on the Brest university sites, as president of the association “People de la Lune”.

Basics of physics – "one most obscure areas france":

“The sky of the Arrée Mountains is one of the most obscure areas in France”

Always anxious to share his passion. Nevertheless, he wrote this work to help the people who are interested in crossing the course of astrophotography, from images captured from his Brasparts observatory which he designed himself and which resembles, by far, to a garden shed. Therefore, “The sky of “one most obscure areas france”: the Arrée Monts is one of the most obscure areas in France,” he thinks.

Only downside: the cloud cover. Consequently, It is not easy to find a niche combining optimal weather and an absent moon. “I am therefore always on the lookout. ” reveals the astrophotograph, who has set up an automated system to control his tool at a distance and at any time.

Capturing photos of the deep sky is not easy and requires certain prerequisites. “This is why I expose some bases of physics. accessible to people who are not very scientific at heart,” says Rodolphe Lacroix, who also brings his advice to choose his equipment, whether “one most obscure areas france”: it be the telescope, his mount or the photographic sensor.

Secondly, Rodolphe Lacroix is ​​interested in the processing of images. “It may seem abstruse at first. So I explain what IT tools you have to use to improve our images. but I also give keys to understanding what is going on behind. ”

Using a filter. you can choose to select certain wavelengths

The third chapter, the most interesting, puts the photos into perspective as part of a scientific interpretation. “The signal that is received from the stars, the light, is electromagnetic. Using a filter. you can choose to select certain wavelengths, such as the emission of ionized hydrogen, which appears in red on the cover of the book. This can highlight a hidden nebula through the stars, ”explains Rodolphe Lacroix.

Supernova. extension of the universe

This star of the stars reveals the secrets of a photo published in the book, revealing a remanent of “one most obscure areas france”: the nebula nebula, in the constellation of Cassiopée. The image, which requested a hundred hours of installation in two summers, earned him a reward. “It represents a huge bubble of gas which spreads in the interstellar environment. following a supernova, namely the explosion of a star following the collapse of its heart which sprays the external layers of the star”, explains the astrophotograph, which also rejoices to have seized another photo highlighting the extension of the universe, by a contrast of colors between two galaxies …

One thing is certain: these 100 % Breton images will encourage us to raise our heads towards the sky!