Santa Lucia Stroncone Astronomical Observatory

In the hills above Stroncone, near Terni in Italy's Umbria region, the Santa Lucia Stroncone Astronomical Observatory has spent decades searching the sky for asteroids.

About Santa Lucia Stroncone Astronomical Observatory

Known officially as the Osservatorio Astrometrico Santa Lucia Stroncone, the observatory sits at 350 metres altitude near the town of Stroncone. It holds the designation IAU/MPC observatory 589, recognising it as an active contributor to the Minor Planet Center's global asteroid-tracking effort.

History

In 1993, amateur astronomer Antonio Vagnozzi discovered the main-belt asteroid 5609 Stroncone while observing from the site, which was later named after the suburb where the discovery was made.

Telescopes & research

The observatory remains an active centre for asteroid discovery, contributing observations that help refine the tracked orbits of minor planets across the solar system.

Location & getting there

The observatory is set at 350 metres in Umbria, north-central Italy, close to the city of Terni. Its position in the hills above Stroncone gives it clearer, darker skies than the valley floor below.

Visiting Santa Lucia Stroncone Astronomical Observatory

As a working research station rather than a visitor centre, the observatory doesn't publish general opening hours; check its official website or contact the operators before planning a visit.

See your named star from here

The same instruments that tracked down asteroid 5609 Stroncone can, in principle, be turned toward the coordinates of a star named through Star Register. Explore the star catalogue to see what's waiting up there.