San Vittore Observatory

San Vittore Observatory (Osservatorio San Vittore) was a private astronomical observatory near Bologna, Italy, active between 1969 and 2004, sitting at an elevation of 280 metres.

About San Vittore Observatory

Built and operated by amateur astronomers Ciro Vacchi (1916-1999), Giorgio Sassi (1918-2009), and Giancarlo Sette, San Vittore was an amateur facility that nonetheless produced professional-grade results, carrying the observation code 552.

History

The observatory operated for 35 years, from 1969 to 2004. Over that period, its founders discovered 99 minor planets, between 1978 and 2000 — a substantial record for a non-professional facility, which earned San Vittore recognition as the only non-professional facility included in The Astronomical Almanac, starting in 1990.

Telescopes & research

The observatory's instruments were all built by Vacchi and Sassi themselves, including a 0.45-metre Newtonian telescope, Schmidt cameras of 25, 32, and 61.5 centimetres, and a 15-centimetre f/10 guide refractor — a self-made toolkit behind its 99 minor planet discoveries.

Location & getting there

San Vittore Observatory stood near Bologna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, part of our Europe region listing, at an elevation of 280 metres above sea level.

Visiting San Vittore Observatory

San Vittore Observatory closed in 2004 and is no longer an active observing facility; check local Bologna astronomy or history resources if you would like to learn more about visiting any remaining site or archive.

See your named star from here

A facility that discovered 99 minor planets from self-built instruments is a reminder of what a single dedicated observatory can find with the right coordinates. Every star named through Star Register comes with its own right ascension and declination. Browse the catalogue or name a star to get yours.