LIRA, a pioneer in astrophysics and instrumentation, pushes back the frontiers of knowledge
LIRA
Laboratory for Instrumentation and Research in Astrophysics
LENS : LIRA – L’Encadré de la Semaine
The Meudon site of the Paris Observatory under the snow
12 January 2026 - An anniversary year for the Meudon site
We are inaugurating our new section, "LIRA – L’Encadré de la Semaine" (LENS), with this image of the snow-covered dome of the Paris Observatory in Meudon, captured last week by Adrien Girardot, a doctoral student at LIRA.
The year 2026 is of particular importance for the Meudon site. It marks both the 150th anniversary of its founding in 1876, on the initiative of Jules Janssen, as a place dedicated to astrophysics, and the 100th anniversary of its affiliation with the Paris Observatory, which was made official in 1926.
The photograph highlights the famous 20-metre diameter dome, built by Jules Janssen. It houses a 16-metre long double equatorial telescope, commissioned in 1896: an exceptional instrument, the largest in Europe and the third largest in the world, an emblematic witness to the history and scientific ambition of the Meudon site.
Credit: Adrien Girardot (LIRA)
SEMINAIRE Monday 19 January 2026 16:00
Théminaires Planétologie Révéler les structures enfouies des mondes solides du système solaire sans creuser
Théminaires Planétologie Révéler les structures enfouies des mondes solides du système solaire sans creuser
COLLOQIUM Monday 2 February 2026 11:00
Colloquia du LIRA Extinction by Galactic dust: where and how?
Colloquia du LIRA Extinction by Galactic dust: where and how?
Presentation
LIRA, a CNRS joint research unit at Paris Observatory, is a laboratory of excellence in astrophysics and instrumentation. It studies astrophysical objects, from the Solar System to our Galaxy and beyond, through five thematic areas. Through international collaboration and instrumental innovation, it pushes back the frontiers of science and contributes to the training and dissemination of knowledge.
