Fui al observatorio que vigila Asteroides para la NASA: Schiaparelli (Varese, Italia) 🇮🇹🔭

Added: 2026-05-09

[00:00:00]Wow, Milan. I guess that's almost in the north of Italy.

[00:00:03]It's like a mini land.

[00:00:06]He been in school observatory astronomical.

[00:00:09]It's the star I arrive at the observatory.

[00:00:13]I want to get out of here in a moment.

[00:00:15]And it's going to be very good.

[00:00:18]Well, I see you later.

[00:00:21]>> [music] [music] >> Hey, guys. Look.

[00:00:34]There is the little town of Varese.

[00:00:37]Over there is also Milan.

[00:00:39]It's already very dark. It's already the sunset.

[00:00:44]We are on the top of the mountains.

[00:00:46]This is before the Alps.

[00:00:49]And this is the path that we are taking to get to where the observatory is. To where the observatory is.

[00:00:54]It's an Well, they sell it. I think I paid like 15 euros. I bought it online.

[00:01:02]And this is Well, they are going to explain a little bit about Well, about the stars, I suppose, about space. And in this observatory, they do research. Serious astronomy. This is professional.

[00:01:18]It was installed by a man who liked astronomy, had a lot of money, and decided to donate it to the city.

[00:01:25]And this observatory has the name of the astronomer Schiaparelli. Who was the first astronomer who found on Mars these canals. Where it is supposed that a long time ago there were like traces of water, right?

[00:01:46]So, it's in his honor.

[00:01:48]This guy was also one of the first popularizers of astronomy. Before it was something cool.

[00:01:54]And this is Also here, they monitor asteroids.

[00:01:59]In the movies that they show from NASA that talk about asteroids that are going to impact the Earth. Well, here they have an agreement with NASA and they help to monitor asteroid trajectories.

[00:02:11]So, it's also interesting.

[00:02:13]And well, we are going to have an astronomical night with the people.

[00:02:18]With the people.

[00:02:20]And also, well, I contacted them before and after that, they are going to give us a private tour to where they don't take people normally. We are going to see like the more scientific the more scientific the more scientific and it's going to be very good.

[00:02:38]And well, let's go there.

[00:02:40]It's called here Campo dei Fiori.

[00:02:44]And Schiaparelli Astronomical Observatory.

[00:02:51]And in fact, we also had the opportunity to interview who is like the director of the observatory.

[00:02:57]His name is Luca Buzzi.

[00:02:59]And I'm going to also show you fragments of an interview I had with him to ask him about the observatory and the observatory.

[00:03:10]And to give us more information to learn a little more about what it is and what is done here.

[00:03:15]Well, there are more climbs. The truth is that the walk is good.

[00:03:20]It's on the top of the hill. They tell me that from the lowest point of the mountain to the top it's like 900 meters, almost a kilometer.

[00:03:30]The taxi took me quite close.

[00:03:32]But well, the last part we are walking.

[00:03:34]This is beautiful, look.

[00:03:38]Well, we are getting closer.

[00:03:40]And there it is.

[00:03:42]The observatory where you can see that little red light.

[00:03:45]We are going that way.

[00:03:48]It's longer than I thought.

[00:03:53]Look, this is a postcard image.

[00:03:57]There is Venus in the center.

[00:03:58]The observatory here on the mountain.

[00:04:01]And I still have to climb up that far.

[00:04:05]And then back down there.

[00:04:07]And we arrive there. I'm already sweating. There is a couple down there who are complaining because the girl says it's still a long way to go.

[00:04:14]And the guy tells her that they are almost there.

[00:04:16]And the girl complains a lot.

[00:04:18]Well, that's how it goes sometimes. It's the price of having a good view of the stars.

[00:04:24]Look, we are almost there.

[00:04:27]Up there is Venus, closer There are the two domes. They will explain what you can see in each of them.

[00:04:33]And look at this view. It's getting dark, but you can already see several little towns. I don't know yet which is which.

[00:04:40]But Well, they say that in the background you can see Milan.

[00:04:44]I don't know if it's there behind this tree without leaves.

[00:04:47]But well, this is the lake.

[00:04:49]I don't remember the name. I'll put it here later.

[00:04:52]But we are almost there.

[00:04:55]How beautiful. Well, we finally arrived.

[00:04:58]This is how it looks from up here. The view is already darker too.

[00:05:03]Look up there, there is Jupiter.

[00:05:06]There is Venus behind that tree.

[00:05:10]And look how beautiful. You can already see some stars.

[00:05:14]It was very cloudy in the morning, but it's much better now. And look, we are going to enter here to where the observatory is.

[00:05:23]Well, look, we entered.

[00:05:27]And we have these binoculars here, right?

[00:05:35]And how about being like a meter and a half tall. It's crazy.

[00:05:40]>> [clears throat] >> Well, here is the founder of the observatory.

[00:05:46]From here the observatory and he donated everything.

[00:05:51]General information, the Milky Way.

[00:05:54]The souvenir section is around here.

[00:06:04]In three minutes we start because it's limited Italian.

[00:06:14]Well, okay.

[00:06:15]We can see it.

[00:06:18]And well, many like decorations space themed.

[00:06:28]We are going to see later what this is.

[00:06:36]Very good.

[00:06:38]Well, well, we'll continue in a moment.

[00:06:40]To go up another staircase, another floor.

[00:06:43]There are people who arrive and they are told, "You have to go up another floor."

[00:06:46]And they answer, "More stairs?"

[00:06:49]Well, yes, that's how it is. If you come here, you have to be in good physical condition. Okay.

[00:06:54]Okay, we arrived and I think it's going to be here.

[00:06:57]Yes, I suppose it's going to be in here.

[00:06:59]And well, here is like a weather station, I suppose.

[00:07:05]And it's beautiful. This observatory is not professional. It's like amateur, but they say it's one of the best or the best equipped here in Italy.

[00:07:15]So, it's beautiful, right? There are people who have resources and decide to donate it to science and to people.

[00:07:26]Normal people, I mean, who are not very into astronomy, not scientists.

[00:07:30]It's going to be very cool.

[00:07:33]Let's go in.

[00:07:55]Inside the observatory.

[00:08:06]They already showed me something that they use as a viewfinder.

[00:08:11]This enormous telescope.

[00:08:15]Look. It's very interesting. Look.

[00:08:35]Let's see.

[00:09:38]Look.

[00:09:46]We are going to have a kind of object that will be a that is called a planetary in which inside there is a star that is as big as the Earth.

[00:09:58]Which is the old >> [music] [music] >> What would you say is the most important mission that you guys perform there at the Campo dei Fiori for astronomy?

[00:11:50]Yeah, let's say that our observatory is a more professional one. It was founded in 60 years ago in 1964 by very a very good good man, Salvatore Furia. And Salvatore Furia was the founder, the president of our association. And he had in mind to create a place when many people can watch the night sky because we our observatory is at top of small mountain about 1,200 m above sea level. So, the sky is not very good because we have a lot of light pollution from the city of Varese, Milano, and so on. But the sky is not bad. And our observatory is called Schiaparelli Observatory because Schiaparelli was a a very good astronomer, but also a very good man that can do some outreach, some divulgation of astronomy for the people in Milano. He did many conferences in Milano in in some years that where astronomy was not for the people, for the public, but just for astronomers. And so, Schiaparelli was one of the of the first people that to want to share the knowledge of astronomy among the people, okay? And so, Salvatore Furia, our president, wanted to recognize the work of Schiaparelli not only for its scientific activity, but also for the outreach of astronomy about more than 100 years ago because Schiaparelli was the director of the Milano Observatory for 40 years from in 1860 to 19 Okay.

[00:13:54]>> Okay.

[00:13:55]And and so, that's our story.

[00:13:59]Our observatory is open for the people for daytime visits, nighttime visits in for 60 years.

[00:14:08]And so, we have a good story to tell.

[00:14:10]So, for you right now there are like a lot of these smart telescopes, right? Some of them can cost 500 euro, right? Like like really or sometimes less.

[00:14:21]Do you think do you think this is this is going to change the way amateur astronomy and for example future comet hunters? Do you think people with these smaller devices have a chance of encountering comets or asteroids in the future?

[00:14:40]Yes, because because these smart telescopes it's true that they are quite small, but if you use it properly even this small telescope is a scientific telescope because you can do photometry, you can do astrometry. And I think that many I don't know the term in English the Italiano? the firm that that that do this telescope, okay?

[00:15:10]>> Uh-huh. Uh-huh. The the manufacturer >> Yes. They manufac- manufacturer Okay, I get you. Sorry for my English.

[00:15:20]They can improve this smaller telescope.

[00:15:24]And this is a way where I won't say normal people, but just passionate people about astronomy can do their work, okay? So, you probably you you don't need a telescope that cost thousand and thousand of euros to to be able to make scientific activity. You can do it just with these smart telescope, okay? And so, it's a great thing, okay?

[00:15:53]Because astronomy can be for all, not just for people that have a large telescope and so on.

[00:16:02]And of course, you can start with these small telescope and then you can improve your equipment, okay? And [clears throat] so, it's a it's a good good thing.

[00:16:13]Wow, what you just mentioned, I mean, I'm surprised. I generally I was not expecting this answer for someone who is starting knowing that, you know, there are like new generations all the time.

[00:16:24]So, there are telescopes that are less than 500 euro or dollar. And just knowing that you can start like in small, but start like being consistent, right? And and having a methodology and doing things start doing serious astronomy, you can you can start getting experience so that maybe you can be able to to move up or or find interesting things. Absolutely. So, yeah.

[00:16:48]>> because because you you you I think that you have to to begin with small telescope. You can understand how a telescope work, how a digital camera work.

[00:17:03]If this is something that really you want to to continue, you can buy something bigger, then bigger, and you can improve your equipment, but Yeah.

[00:17:14]let's imagine a a person that want to do some some scientific activity, and this person have to spend 5,000 euros to to to purchase the equipment.

[00:17:27]It's not for all. Of course. Of course.

[00:17:29]>> unfair. So, I think that these smart telescope can can start people to think to think more about astronomy, okay? Okay. a lot asteroids, right? In Hollywood and in the movies we see we see a lot of that.

[00:17:50]And people might not know, but I was surprised to find out that you have discovered many asteroids yourself. So, for someone who has bought like their first telescope, and they only see like white dots in the sky how do you discover an asteroid?

[00:18:07]How complicated is that? Is there any special technique for that?

[00:18:12]Yeah, there are some techniques. I have to tell you that I discovered my first asteroids when I was 19 years old, but by chance because I was observing comets that was my comets were my first passion in astronomy. And then I switch on switch of asteroids in the future. And so, that there are some techniques to discover asteroids.

[00:18:46]You have to make many many images of the sky on of the same area of the sky, and you have to to to stack the images in order to reach a good depth, okay?

[00:19:01]And so uh it's not a simple work because there are many many big observatories every month in to discover asteroids. And so, amateur discoverer discoveries are not that simple. But I have to say that my main activity is the the the confirmation of new asteroids that can pose a danger, a threat to our planet. And I'm doing this in for 20 years because I started in 2001 with comets, and I switched to asteroids in 2005.

[00:19:44]And so, it's about 20 years that I observe asteroids. I discovered about 20 asteroids, but these asteroids were main belt asteroids. So, between Mars and Jupiter, they they pose no threat to our planet, but my scientific activity is to to track and follow these dangerous asteroids. And I observe about 500 asteroids per year with our telescope. So, it's a lot of work. About let's say about 150 nights per year, I sleep a couple of hours per night. Okay.

[00:20:26]activity, and then of course I have my daytime job for the observatory, schools and so on. So, it's something uh I that I do with a lot of passion, but uh it's it's not simple. If you have a family, children, and so on.

[00:20:48]>> Nice. And and I can see that I mean, you're you're being very humble about this, but like you guys are actually collaborating with NASA and the Minor Planet Center to to do some surveillance. And so, like where are we regarding like the mapping of these dangerous and not so dangerous asteroids? Is there still a lot of work to do? Can Can Can Can we be certain that you and other teams are really looking and and looking after us, looking for asteroids? How How does that work?

[00:21:22]Well, the the strategy is is quite simple in words, but it's not so simple in term in technical practice, but with the with the telescopes, and these tele telescopes are 90% in the United States. Mhm.

[00:21:45]In Hawaii, in Arizona, and so on. And they they work is to scan the entire visible sky every month. Okay. And so, they discover many many many many asteroids that can pose a threat to our planet. And every year they discover about 3,000 asteroids, new asteroids Okay. needs to be tracked. And we want to know in advance if And so, it's not simple because 3,000 a lot of asteroids. And so, there are many myself, uh my and my observatory that try to um to observe as much asteroids as possible every clear night.

[00:22:33]>> [music] [music] [music]