Included among the highlight events for the 350th anniversary celebrations an international and interdisciplinary colloquium, open and free to all who register is being organized by the Paris Observatory and the Research Centre of the Château de Versailles. The purpose of this colloquium is to study the sceintific and historical contexte of the event and also the spread of a particular Parisian model of Academy
and Observation in Eurpoe during the two centuries which followed.

In 1666, Louis XIV and Colbert founded the Paris Observatory and the Royal Acadey pf Sciences made up of fourteen scientists. The scientific and artistic activiites should enhance the stature of the French monarchy. Claude Perrault’s /bâtiment tout savant /(absolutely scientific building) is part of the decor which enhances royalty and
attracts numerous scientists and prestigious visitors. Colbert compared it to another monumental project which was never realized, /Arc de triomphe pour les conquêtes de terre - Observatoire pour les cieux - An arc de triomphe for the exploration of the Earth and the Sky/)

Contributions will be based on recent work on the correspondence between Leibniz dand Huygens ; the work of the Observatory under J.-D. Cassini ; the visit of the Tsar Peter the Great to Versailles and to the Observatory in 1711 ; the work of Lagrange, Le Verrier’s calculations which led to the discovery of the planet Neptune, and finally the forty year old friendship of Arago and Humboldt.

As a counterpoint, the colloquium will prresent a selection of important international projects which define the scientific life of the Observatory to-day : the design of telescopes for the XXIst century, the metrological revolutions coming from atomic clocks, space missions to the distant parts of the solar system and the exploration of the large scale structure of the Universe and its dark matter.

A background film

In order to reach as wide a public as possible and leave a lasting memory of this event, the film company White Fox Pictures, specializing in presenting discoveries have been mandated for the three following subjects : nature, science and history, and have proposed a very short film which presents in a fascinating way the 350 years of
the observatory, from the royal signing in Versailles of the decree which founded the Observatory, and up to the exploration of invisible light and dark matter in the Universe by to-day’s astronomers.

Practical Information

• free entrance, but space is limited
• Starting June 2nd, obligatory regisgtration
• on line : http://www.chateauversailles-recherche.fr/ section
  "Événements sur inscription"
  – *by phone : 01 30 83 75 12

• The Observatory is supporting the creation of a 3 minute event-film
which highlights the evolution of the Observatory from its s birth till
now. Financial participation is possible by all via the site :
http://bit.ly/2pRC9sk

• The second day of the colloquium will be filmed and transmitted via
YouTube <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3w...> and retransmitted
by the internet site of France Culture.

Everything relating to the 350 year event is on http://350ans.obspm.fr/fr