DeepskyWim

On a very hot July 20, we visited Campo Imperatore, a vast high plateau located in the Abruzzo region of Italy. It is part of the Gran Sasso massif, the highest mountain range in the Apennines.  The scenery is stunning, and when we parked our car to go for a hike, we saw the Osservatorio astronomico di Campo Imperatore.  The observatory is located about an hour and a half drive from the town of Castiglione Messer Raimondo, were we stayed for a few days.  The road to the observatory is full of  and mountainous, but the views are stunning. The plateau is about 20 kilometers long and 7 kilometers wide. It is surrounded by high mountain peaks, including the Corno Grande, the highest mountain in the Apennines.  The Osservatorio astronomico di Campo Imperatore (Astronomical Observatory of Campo Imperatore) is one of the most important astronomical observatories in Italy. It is located in the Abruzzo region, at an altitude of 2,150 meters above sea level. The observatory is known for its exce

We spent a day in Firenze on July 2, 2023, during our summer vacation. The city is beautiful, but it is very crowded and it can be very hot. Besides its stunning architecture, the Galileo Museum is also worth a visit. As astronomers, both professional and amateur, we couldn't miss the opportunity to learn more about Galileo Galilei and his instruments. The sundial outside the Galileo Museum in Firenze is a monumental sundial that was built in 2007.  On the side facing the Arno river, a lizard indicates the noon and the month of the year.  The shadow the sundial casts on the street also shows the noon and the month. The sundial outside of the Galileo Museum, showing true noon and the month The Galileo Museum in Firenze is a museum dedicated to the life and work of Galileo Galilei, one of the most important scientists in history. The museum is housed in the Palazzo Castellani, an 11th-century building located in the heart of Firenze.  In the different rooms of the museum, different i