Science of matter and the universe

• Astronomy
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Earth sciences
• Multimedia materials

Astronomy

Planetary motion system by Ptolemy and Tycho Brahe. Andreas Cellarius.

© BnF

The Library’s collections reflect every aspect of contemporary astronomy. In order of importance, they include materials on the following:

• celestial mechanics, astronomical instruments, practical astronomy, and gravitation
• astrophysics, spatial physics, and cosmology
• the study of the solar system
• the study of stars
• astronomical geography and the measurement of time

The Reference library offers practical books on techniques for observing the sky and constructing instruments, as well as academic textbooks in both French and English, such as Géodésie spatiale et mécanique céleste by J-C. Blaive and Evolution of Stars and Stellar Populations by M. Salaris and S. Cassisi. The collection is available on an open-access basis. Journals, most of which are in French, are of a level that is accessible to all audiences.

The Research library holds open-access materials aimed at researchers and doctoral students. These materials, the vast majority of which are in English, mainly consist of conference papers and summaries. They include major collections – e.g.the IAU Symposia and the ASP Conference Series.

Closed-stack materials can also be consulted in the Research library. The astronomy collections go back as far as the 15th century. They include materials ranging from fundamental texts such as Copernicus’s De revolutionibus (1543) to leaflets and notices printed to mark the passing of comets.