COZMIX

The Flemish public observatories originate from the enthusiasm of the American lunar space programme Apollo. Man's first step on the Moon in July 1969 propelled the general public into a field they had not yet discovered, one that was wonderful, technical and open to other horizons. The following years saw, under the impetus of a few important Belgian personalities, the emergence of several observatories, creating a real network of enthusiasts throughout the region. In Bruges in particular, at the end of the 1970s, the idea of creating a local public observatory was born... This idea has been transformed into a sustainable and educational investment, with the primary objectives of renovating part of the Beisbroek Manor House and building an observation tower adjacent to the house, duly equipped with telescopes and a planetarium. On 20 October 1984, the Volkssterrenwacht Beisbroek vzw association was officially created and on 30 March 1985, the observatory was inaugurated. It was at the end of the 1990s that the site specialized in welcoming the public and popularizing astronomy. In the early 2000s, part of the infrastructure was renovated, including the installation of a brand new Zeiss projector for the planetarium. At the same time, a new interactive exhibition is proposed to the public, as well as a "walk in the Solar System" in the Beisbroek Park, mixing art and science. Other innovations will follow.... Today, the Cozmix concept is completely complete and well established. The price of the ticket entitles you to a planetarium session (not all of them in French, far from it: get information), often spectacular, with for example the flight over the surface of Mars, the crossing of the great Orion nebula, or that of a vast and distant galaxy. Of course, this session also shows, in a very educational way, the position of the sky in real time and simply explains the main basics of celestial mechanics. Then, discover the interactive exhibition dedicated to astronomy, then visit the observatory and its telescopes. It is then possible to observe the Sun and its famous protuberances (subject to good weather conditions). During evening tours, observations of the Moon, planets and major deep sky objects are also on the menu. The site itself and the park are charming, so the few hours spent there are pleasant, even for people who are not necessarily passionate about astronomy.