Leo I dwarf galaxy: a hidden treasure
Our home galaxy, the Milky Way, is not alone: a parade of small galaxies is all around it. Leo I, a dwarf galaxy, is one of them. Spotting it is not straightforward, as you...
The Virtual Telescope Project 2.0 Blog
C/2019 Y4 Atlas, the comet of 2020? – an image (11 Mar. 2020)
We continue monitoring comet C/2019 Y4 Atlas, which hopefully will be visible by naked eye next April and May. While we remember that comets are unpredictable, we continue our coverage of C/2019 Y4. The...
Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (52768) 1998 OR2: an image – 6 Mar. 2020
While the worldwide press is talking about it, we imaged the Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (52768) 1998 OR2, while it is slowly and safely approaching us. This 1.8-4.1 km large minor planet will be at...
Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (52768) 1998 OR2 close encounter: online observations – 29 Apr. 2020
Please note: because of clouds, the live feed has been rescheduled: new date: 29 Apr. 2020, starting at 18:30 UTC. Next 29 Apr. 2020, the Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (52768) 1998 OR2 will have a...
Asteroid (10931) Ceccano: a new image 22 years after its discovery – 22 Feb. 2020.
I discovered asteroid (10931) Ceccano on 16 Feb. 1998, a few months after building my observatory. It was my first asteroid discovery and my second discovery ever. Looking at it from time to time...
The 9 March 2020 Supermoon: online observation – 9 Mar. 2020
Next 9 March, we will enjoy the second Supermoon of 2020. At Virtual Telescope we will share the show with you from Rome, with the Moon rising above the stunning skyline of Rome, the...
Comet C/2019 Y4 (Atlas): an image (21 Feb. 2020)
Discovered at the end of last year, comet C/2019 Y4 (Atlas) could have a name you will hopefully remember: it could become bright enough in May to put a nice show up in the...
A fast radio burst repeating every 16.35 days: an image of the host galaxy of the Fast Radio Burst FRB 180916.J0158+65 – 16 Feb. 2020
Likely, you have heard of the repeating Fast Radio Burst FRB 180916.J0158+65, showing a likely periodicity of 16.35 days. We imaged the faint, host galaxy SDSS J015800.28+654253.0. Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are one of...
Near-Earth Asteroid 2020 CG2 very close encounter: an image (16 Feb. 2020)
One hour ago, the near-Earth asteroid 2020 CG2 had a safe, very close encounter with our planet, reaching a minimum distance from us of about 850.000 km, 2.3 times the average distance the Moon....
ESA’s Solar Orbiter (SolO) is on its way to the Sun, we imaged part of the Atlas V launch rocket, the Centaur upper stage – 12 Feb. 2020
The ESA’s Solar Orbiter (SolO) was launched with success a few days ago, starting its long journey of discovery of our Sun. Last night, we imaged part of its Atlas V launch rocket, the...
Il “Pallido Punto Blu” compie trent’anni: l’immagine più umana dell’era spaziale
Era il 14 febbraio del 1990, trent’anni fa, quando il Voyager 1 della Nasa, dalla distanza di 6 miliardi di km, riprese “Pale Blue Dot“, il “Pallido Punto Blu“, ovvero la Terra, una delle...
The Feb. 2020 Supermoon: online observation – 8 Feb. 2020
On the night between 8 and 9 Feb. 2020, we will have a Supermoon, the first of four in a row for this brand new year. Of course, the Virtual Telescope will show this...
International Space Station (ISS) races above Rome: a glimpse of space from the Eternal City
Every time the International Space Station (ISS) crosses the sky above Rome, it offers a wonderful sight. Here it was flying above the Great Synagogue, beside Orion and Taurus. You know: I love looking...
Potentially Hazardous Asteroid 2020 AN3 close encounter: an image (16 Jan. 2020)
Earlier today, 17 Jan. 2020, the potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) 2020 AN3 had a safe close with our planet, reaching a minimum distance from us of 3 millions of km, 8 times the average...
