Vallemare di Borbona Astronomical Observatory

Perched at 1,170 metres in the mountains of Lazio, the Vallemare di Borbona Astronomical Observatory is a private Italian facility with a strong record in asteroid discovery.

About Vallemare di Borbona Astronomical Observatory

This observatory, registered with the Minor Planet Center under the code A55, is located in the village of Borbona in the Lazio region of central Italy. It was run by Vincenzo Silvano Casulli (1944–2018), an Italian amateur astronomer who dedicated the site to asteroid discovery and astrometry.

History

Casulli was an active discoverer of minor planets, credited with finding 79 asteroids between 1994 and 2001 from this site, including two more discovered in 2005. His work contributed real astrometric data to international minor-planet catalogues.

Telescopes & research

The observatory's programme centred on systematic asteroid searches and precise position measurements (astrometry), the kind of patient, repeated observation that turns up new minor planets over years of dedicated work.

Location & getting there

At 1,170 metres of elevation in the mountains near Borbona, Lazio, the site benefits from the thinner, drier air and darker skies typical of high-altitude locations away from city lights.

Visiting Vallemare di Borbona Astronomical Observatory

As a private research observatory, it does not appear to run a regular public visiting programme. Check the observatory's own site for current access information before planning a trip.

See your named star from here

The mountain skies above Borbona are the kind of dark, high-altitude conditions where the exact coordinates of a named star become easy to trace with a telescope. Name a star today or browse the star catalogue.