Wolf Full Moon 2021: online observation – 28 Jan. 2021
The Wolf Full Moon is coming next 28 Jan. It will be the first full Moon of the year and the Virtual Telescope will show it live, while it rises above Rome. Join the...
Author: Gianluca Masi
Farewell, mini-moon: 2020 SO very close approach, online observation – 01 Feb. 2021
After its extremely close fly-by last Dec., 2020 SO is safely coming very close again, this time to say farewell. As we know, it is the booster of the Surveyor 2 space mission, which...
Jupiter and Saturn’s great conjunction: images of a historic event – 21 Dec. 2020
Last week, we witnessed something unique: a very close conjunction between the giant planets Jupiter and Saturn. More than one million individuals worldwide joined our live feed, here we share our best images. We...
Jupiter and Saturn prepare their epic show – 16 Dec. 2020
While waiting for their epic conjunction, Jupiter and Saturn are slowly approaching each other up there. Here we present a few images we did. Over the past few days, I managed to get a...
“14 Dec. 2020 Total Solar Eclipse” – live event, online!
Next 14 Dec. 2020, the sky will offer an amazing total solar eclipse, well visible from South America. As in the past, the Virtual Telescope Project will partner with a couple of institutions there...
Near-Earth object 2020 SO: rotation and time-lapse – 01 Dec. 2020
We present a time-lapse and a lightcurve of 2020 SO, very likely the booster involved in the launch of the Surveyor 2 spacecraft to the Moon in 1966. See how it was blinking! After...
Near-Earth object 2020 SO extremely close encounter: image and rotation – 01 Dec. 2020.
Earlier today, we managed to capture 2020 SO, likely the booster of the Surveyor 2 space mission. We could also detect evidence of its spin rate and we share our imagery with you. The...
Comet 29P/Schwassmann–Wachmann: evolution after a bright outburst (21, 22 and 23 Nov. 2020)
After a couple of years since our previous visit, we imaged comet 29P/Schwassmann–Wachmann again, covering its evolution for a couple of nights, after one of its typical outbursts. Each of the three images above...
Near-Earth object 2020 SO extremely close encounter: a image – 22 Nov. 2020
Next 1 Dec. 2020, the near-Earth object 2020 SO will safely have a extremely close encounter with our planet, coming as close as 50000 km (13% of the average lunar distance). Curiously, it is...
2020 SO extremely close encounter: asteroid or Surveyor 2 rocket booster? Online observations – 30 Nov. 2020
On 1 Dec. 2020, the near-Earth object 2020 SO will have a extremely close, but safe, encounter with us, coming at about 50000 km from the Earth, 13% of the average lunar distance. We...
The Moon visits the giant planets, Jupiter and Saturn – 19 Nov. 2020
On 19 Nov. 2020, the Moon met Jupiter and Saturn, at sunset: here we share a few images from Rome of that magic rendez-vous. After the super meeting a few days ago at dawn...
Near-Earth asteroid 2020 VX4 very close encounter: a image – 17 Nov. 2020
On 18 Nov. 2020, the near-Earth asteroid 2020 VX4 had a very close, but safe, approach with our planet, reaching a minimum distance from the Earth of about 400000 km, marginally more than the...
The Moon, Venus and Mercury: a early morning meeting – 13 Nov. 2020
Moon, Venus and Mercury did it again: a nice meeting in the sky, early in the morning. Here they are a few images. Every time the Moon is close in the sky to a...
Near-Earth asteroid 2020 VP1 extremely close encounter: a image – 10 Nov. 2020
A couple of hours ago, the near-Earth asteroid 2020 VP1 had a extremely close, but safe, approach with our planet, reaching a minimum distance from the Earth of about 184000 km, 0.48 times the...
