Campo Catino Observatory

Campo Catino Observatory sits at Colle Pannunzio, near the town of Guarcino in the province of Frosinone, in Italy's Lazio region.

About Campo Catino Observatory

The observatory was founded by the Associazione Astronomica Frusinate, itself established in 1981. Since 1988 the Lazio Region has supported the site with scientific instrumentation and research funding, and it is currently directed by Mario Di Sora.

History

Campo Catino opened in March 1987, following two years of work converting an old road house into an observing site. It has since grown into one of Italy's more research-active amateur observatories.

Telescopes & research

Observers here have discovered 35 asteroids, largely between 1998 and 2005, and have contributed to the discovery of 10 exoplanets through international collaborations. The observatory also carries out light pollution monitoring, having conducted more than 3,500 checks across Lazio since 2000, and operates instruments including an all-sky camera, a seismic monitoring station and a weather station. It also runs a sister facility, the Campocatino Austral Observatory, in Chile's Atacama Desert for southern-sky observations.

Location & getting there

The site is located at Colle Pannunzio near Guarcino, in the Frosinone province of Lazio, Italy, within the Europe region.

Visiting Campo Catino Observatory

For current opening times and tours, check the official Campo Catino Observatory website before planning a visit.

See your named star from here

An observatory that has already found 35 asteroids and helped discover 10 exoplanets works daily with the same kind of precise coordinates that come with a named star. Browse our star-naming packages or the star catalogue to name your own.