Holiday in Tuscany

[bartyboy73]

Evening All!!

I am off to Tuscany next summer staying about 25kms south of Siena. I was wondering if anyone could recommend any observatories that hold public viewing evenings or do observatory tours in the area.

Many thanks,

Simon

[bingevader]

Ooh, the home of Galileo!

Room for a small one in your suitcase?

Plenty of astronomical sightseeing opportunities, but I don't know about actual observing.

Packing a travel 'scope?

[ronin]

Observatory at Viterbo, no indication of public use/access or anything, also a fair distance off of where you are likely to be.

Cannot get a web site for it.

Google for: Cimini Astronomical Observatory

Another in sort of middle of nowhere or a big forest about 100km North east: http://www.osservatorioastronomico.info/

Looks like 50km South of Bologna.

[ronin]

For the Cimini Astronomical Observatory

There is a hesnet.net link that you can put through google translate.

Looks like you have to sort of hire the use of the place, so likely costly.

[bartyboy73]

Ooh, the home of Galileo!

Room for a small one in your suitcase?

Plenty of astronomical sightseeing opportunities, but I don't know about actual observing.

Packing a travel 'scope?

[bartyboy73]

Thanks for the link will have a look and see what these look like. I was dead lucky last year with where we stayed in SW france because there was a very good amateur observatory about 20k away which did public viewing evenings!!

I don't have a travel scope but will be packing the trusty 15 x 70 bins and will try my best to squeeze the tripod in to the suitcase....might need a bigger suitcase!

[bingevader]

I don't have a travel scope

I could bring mine.

If you're struggling with the tripod, how about a collapsible monopod, can be purchased for about £15?

[bartyboy73]

A monopod is a good idea if I can't get the tripod in....It is pretty heavy. Although I do prefer the freedom the tripod gives me to observe an object and then check my star atlas and then go back to it or even reach for a glass of wine and go back to it!!

[bartyboy73]

Anyone know of any astro attractions near Siena?

[michaelmorris]

Not an observing opportunity, but if you go to Florence (and if you're in Tuscany, you just have to go to Florence) go to the Galileo museum http://www.museogalileo.it/en/index.html

You'll see some of the scope the great man actually looked through (not replicas).

[oldphysics]

Not an observing opportunity, but if you go to Florence (and if you're in Tuscany, you just have to go to Florence) go to the Galileo museum http://www.museogalileo.it/en/index.html

You'll see some of the scope the great man actually looked through (not replicas).

I can second this. Was there just last year. Well worth the visit, and there is much else to see in Firebze (Uffizi).

[bartyboy73]

Went yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it! Recommended! The best exhibit by far was Galileo's preservered finger and thumb