LAC DU DER-CHANTECOQ

The Lake of the Der is not strictly an astronomical site but the observation of the sky, the naked eye or the twins from its shores is part of these memories that lovers of nature cannot forget! This nature reserve (but also hunting!) lives at the rate of migration of its cranes and changes in the level of filling of its lake, releasing more or less according to the seasons of the vasives where the birds regenerate. The banks are quite well preserved from light pollution and access to the various ornithological observatories is possible during the night… Hence the irresistible idea of coming to discover the sky, for example, from the rainy rains in summer, or to watch the ascent or sleep of the stars during the migration of the cranes (in November). The show is then grandiose: an increasing end of the moon over a calm water or a solar disk that punches just on the horizon, and the dearth of thousands of cranes that rise a few moments, before laying themselves into groups in the vasives, and then to start this time definitively for distant corners more welcoming. On these shores it can be very cold in autumn and winter (good shoes are recommended in particular), especially as the observer's static position generally accentuates the feeling of cold. Regardless of the period, night observation of the sky and wildlife is exceptional: in a predominant moon period (neighborhoods, full moon), the vigorous selfless light associated with very bright twins allows to scrutinize the behavior of many animals on the banks (hunting or fishing scenes), accompanied by the inevitable sounds and screams that complement these surrealistic scenes. And as at these late hours humans are extremely rare, we still enjoy much more of these magical moments.