Playa del Carmen to Host Night of the Stars Science Festival on Nov. 14

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Playa del Carmen will host the Night of the Stars on Saturday, Nov. 14, joining 118 venues across Mexico for what organizers describe as the largest science outreach event in Latin America. Admission is free.

The Riviera Maya Astronomical Society is organizing the local edition in collaboration with the Playa del Carmen Planetarium and the Autonomous University of Quintana Roo, organizers announced at a press conference. Civil associations and scientific, artistic and cultural groups from the city are also taking part.

Activities will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sayab Planetarium and from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the university campus, with a program designed for the whole family.

Telescopes, workshops and lectures

The centerpiece of the event is communal skywatching. Hundreds of amateur and professional astronomers set up their telescopes nationwide and make them available to the public to observe the moon, planets, nebulae and distant constellations.

The day goes beyond stargazing, offering keynote lectures, hands-on workshops for children and teenagers, live experiments and cultural performances that link science with the arts.

Each year the Night of the Stars adopts a central theme. This edition highlights three national anniversaries: the 75th anniversary of the discovery of the 21-centimeter hydrogen emission line, the 115th anniversary of the birth of Paris Pismis, Mexico’s first woman astronomer, and the 20th anniversary of the redefinition of the concept of a planet, which removed Pluto from that category.

Held since 2009, the event uses astronomy to build a culture of scientific knowledge across all levels of society. Its national scope and volunteer structure are coordinated by institutions including UNAM, the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN), the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics (INAOE) and the Mexican Academy of Sciences, with support from embassies and local astronomical societies.