What to do and see in Sicily, Italy: The Best Observatories & Planetariums

A wonderful astronomical observatory with main telescope of 600 mm of diameter placed at the center of Sicily which promotes astronomy with day and night sky observations and virtual didactic lessons inside planetarium.

WHAT 'A PLANETARY ASTRONOMICAL? Many people confuse a planetarium with an astronomical observatory. A planetarium is a simulator of heaven: what you see is not real but rebuilt. Modern planetary so real astronomical laboratories, at least initially better suited to the study of the basics (and more) of astronomy. The planetarium is constituted by a half-dome of 3.50 meters in diameter, inside which, through a suitable projector, it is possible: • Observe thousands of celestial bodies (planets, satellites, nebulae, galaxies and more.) Thanks to images taken by the most famous space telescopes • Recognize all major stars and constellations • Simulate the motion of all the heavenly bodies in real time, watch the sky as it appeared thousands of years ago and how it will look in the future, • Simulate the phenomenon known as the precession of the equinoxes • Representing the geographical coordinates, Equatorial, altazimuth etc. • Observe the ecliptic and the celestial equator • Observe the sky at different latitudes, from the North Pole to the South Pole through the equator, so from anywhere on Earth • Simulate the apparent motion of the Sun and the planets, the seasons, the eclipse of the Sun and Moon, planetary conjunctions etc. • Interfacing a telescope for the rapid and simple detection of objects to be observed. But the planet is not, as I said, a powerful astronomical laboratory, but is also a spectacular tool because it can involve the observers by making them forget to be under a dome, creating the impression of being in the universe of surfers. The planetarium becomes a laboratory orientation, where the public can acquire the knowledge and techniques that people in the past used it for their travel, but can also become a fascinating time machine that allows us to immerse ourselves in myths and legends ancient civilizations depicted on the vault of heaven. For these reasons it is well suited to play a role interdisciplinary. ARCHITECTURE OF PLANETARY 1. DOME The central and dominant component of a planetarium is a dome (often double), with inside in white fabric, high riflattanza, mounted on frame hemispheric lattice of fiberglass or carbon fiber for the domes of great diameter, and with an external part, always in fabric, which has essentially the task of retaining the light emitted by the video projector. The dome is supported on suitable supports adjustable in height. 2. PROJECTION SYSTEM E 'essentially constituted by a digital machine which projects through a PC and dedicated software, the images on the spherical surface of the dome. 3. SOFTWARE The software we use is the "STELLARIUM" open source SW suitably modified and adapted to your needs. The software is distributed in Italian and is easy to use.