Vincent van Gogh: “Starry night over the Rhone” (1888)

Not only science and pretty pictures under the stars. This page wants to share words and thoughts inspired by the wonders of the sky, as well as interesting news on the Universe.

Everybody involved with astronomy knows very well that at night, while looking up, many feelings and considerations arise spontaneously: questions, emotions, answers and dreams.

Women and men of any age and any place have wondered about the Cosmos around them.

Arts, music, literature, philosophy get a considerable amount of inspiration from the beauty of the sky.

At the Virtual Telescope, we strongly believe that the stars are by far more than a scientific topic. This view is shared with a lot of people, so we are happy to welcome you on this page.

Here, you will find our posts, hoping to receive your feedback and comments.

• ESA’s Juice spacecraft imaged on its way to the fly-by with the Earth: image and animation (10-11 Aug. 2024)
• ESA’s Juice spacecraft imaged on its way to the fly-by with the Earth (9 Aug. 2024)
• The ISS tool bag: a new image – 29 Nov. 2023 (01 Dec. 2023)
• A double cluster and a double nebula: a precious spot of heaven (19 Nov. 2023)
• The ISS crew lock bag: an image – 15 Nov. 2023 (15 Nov. 2023)
• Testing the very fast, large field of view astrograph: first lights (13 May 2023)
• The Moon and Venus, a bright meeting in the sky (23 Apr. 2023)
• Venus and the Pleiades: what a stunning show!  (9 & 10 Apr. 2023)
• Artemis I: Orion spacecraft spotted again (7 Dec. 2022)
• Artemis I: Orion spacecraft imaged (27 Nov. 2022)
• The 25 Oct. 2022 partial solar eclipse: a report (25 Oct. 2022)
• The International Space Station and a colourful Jupiter corona (2 Oct. 2022)
• (7197), l’asteroide di Piero (1928 – 2022) (16 Aug. 2022)
• Mars and Uranus meet in the sky: images from a planetary conjunction (2 Aug. 2022)
• The James Webb Telescope imaged on its way to the stars. (29 Dec. 2021)
• The International Space Station flies above the Colosseum: a once-in-a-lifetime view (20 Dec. 2021)
• Godspeed, Michael Collins (1930-2021): here it is your asteroid (6471). (29 Apr. 2021)
• The Crab Nebula, the most famous galactic supernova relic: a very special sequence. (18 Feb. 2021)
• Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE and globular cluster M 53 (6 Aug. 2020)
• Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE and the lake (22 July 2020)
• Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE debuts in the evening sky, offering a superb view from Rome (14 July 2020)
• Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE pops up above above the legendary St. Peter’s Dome in Rome (10 July 2020)
• Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE shines above the glory of Rome, with the Intl. Space Station (7 July 2020)
• BepiColombo spacecraft: images of its flyby with the Earth (10 Apr. 2020)
• Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (162082) 1998 HL1 close encounter: how to see it (23 July 2019)
• The 16 July 2019 lunar eclipse: images and report from Rome (19 July 2019)
• Happy Asteroid Day 2019 with asteroids Brianmay and Grigorijrichters, co-founders of the event (29 June 2019)
• The Barnard’s Star: the journey continues (25 June 2019)
• Earth Hour 2019: an image from Rome (30 March 2019)
• The Vernal Equinox Supermoon and its show, a memorable experience in Rome (20 March 2019)
• The Moon, Venus and Jupiter put a stunning show above the Colosseum and Roman Forum (31 Jan. 2019)
• Tiangong 1: a new image from our 29 March 2018 observations (06 Apr. 2018)
• Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster imaged again (18 Feb. 2018)
• Tesla Roadster is flying across the Solar System: images and movie (8 Feb. 2018)
• Geminids meteor shower and Phaethon put on a great show (8 Dec. 2017)
• Next 3 Dec., the Supermoon is back: the only one visible in 2017 (22 Nov. 2017)
• Partial Lunar Eclipse in Rome above the Colosseum (07 Aug. 2017)
• The Moon and Mercury shines above Rome at sunset  (25 July 2017)
• “For those who may come to the Great American Eclipse, next 21 Aug. 2017” (26 May 2017)
• Messier 8, a “Lagoon” of stars (1 May 2017)
• Comet C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp: twenty years later (1997-2017) (01 Apr. 2017)
• 5 Feb. 2017, Aldebaran occultation by the Moon: how to see it? (31 Jan. 2017)
• Star merging in KIC 9832227: a possible once-in-a-lifetime event (11 Jan. 2017)
• Asteroid (17473) Freddiemercury: an image – 30 Dec. 2016 (30 Dec. 2016)
• 1996-2016: venti anni di scoperte per l’Osservatorio “Bellatrix” (26 Dec. 2016)
• A new website for the 10th Anniversary (28 Nov. 2016)
• 14 Nov. 2016 supermoon: the largest full Moon in more than 80 years (1 Nov. 2016)
• A record Venus-Jupiter conjunction: 27 Aug. 2016 (12 July 2016)
• The Five Planets are back: see all of them at a glance, next August 2016 (11 July 2016)
• The Barnard’s Star, two years later (03 July 2016)
• 20 June 2016: summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (19 June 2016)
• 06 April 2016: The Moon occults Venus – simulation (5 Apr. 2016)
• The Moon, Venus and Mercury: a sublime meeting – 6 Feb. 2016 (6 Feb. 2016)
• The nights of the five planets: images of a spectacular and rare astronomical show – 1-2 Feb. 2016 (2 Feb. 2016)
• A planetary parade in the sky late in January (20 Jan. 2016)
• Comet C/2013 US10 Catalina: how and where to see it (10 Dec. 2015)
• The Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Mercury: a stunning celestial meeting (11 Oct. 2015)
• 9 Oct. 2015: the Moon meets Venus, Jupiter and Mars in Leo (8 Oct. 2015)
• NGC 7006 in Delphinus: an image for the 9th birthday for the Virtual Telescope Project (21 Aug. 2015)
• Venus – Jupiter 2015 conjunction: podcast and new images (01 July 2015)
• Venus, Jupiter and Rome: a breathtaking view of a memorable conjunction (29 June 2015)
• Venus, Jupiter and S. Peter in Rome: 28 June 2015 (28 June 2015)
• 21 June 2015: summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (21 June 2015)
• 5 March 2005: Rosetta performed ESA’s closest-ever Earth fly-by (17 May 2015)
• Messier 101 and a (likely) supernova impostor (26 Feb. 2015)
• 17 Jan. 1985 – 17 Jan. 2015: happy birthday, little and glorious telescope (17 Jan. 2015)
• Merry Christmas 2014 (21 Dec. 2014)
• McNeil Nebula and V1647 Ori: still bright (29 Sept. 2014)
• Total Lunar Eclipse, 8 Oct. 2014: maps and simulation (26 Sept. 2014)
• Eight Years (2006-2014) with the Virtual Telescope Project: some thoughts (21 Aug. 2014)
• All-Sky camera tests under way at Virtual Telescope (26 June 2014)
• NGC 5985, NGC 5982 and NGC 5981: a galaxy trio in Draco (2 June 2014)
• Saturn occultation by the Moon, 14 May 2014: a spectacular image (15 May 2014)
• Nova Delphini 2013: a new image (9 May 2014) and movie (12 May 2014)
• The Night of the Red Planet: online event (8 Apr. 2014) – Podcast (30 Apr. 2014)
• 29 April Solar Eclipse: live, observation (29 Apr. 2014)
• Near-Earth Asteroid 2014 GN1: images, video and event’s podcast (6 Apr. 2014)
• Total Lunar Eclipse, 15 April 2014: maps and simulation (19 Mar. 2014)
• March 2014, Full Moon: a special image (18 Mar. 2014)
• Near-Earth Asteroid 2014 DX110: an historic event (7 Mar. 2014)
• A near-Earth asteroid relay race: 2000 EM26, 2014 BR57, 1999 CR and 2014 CR (18 Feb. 2014)
• McNeil Nebula and V1647 Ori: updates (2 Feb. 2014)
• Is comet C/2012 S1 fading? (25 Nov. 2013)
• McNeil Nebula and V1647 Ori bright again: 31 Oct. 2013 (21 Nov. 2013)
• C/2012 S1 Ison meets Spica, Alpha Virginis: 18 Nov. 2013 (17 Nov. 2013)
• Where is comet Ison: November 2013 (30 Oct. 2013)
• Where is comet Ison: October 2013 (16 Oct. 2013)
• International Observe the Moon Night 2013: a postcard from the online event (12 Oct. 2013)
• Application of the Internet in the promotion and popularization of astronomy (12 Oct. 2013)
• Seventh year of the Virtual Telescope: the amazing adventure continues (18 Aug. 2013)
• The Day The Earth Smiled: images (20 July 2013)
• M 57, the “Ring Nebula”: a new color view (8 July 2013)
• How super is the “super” Moon? (23 June 2013)
• Virtual Telescope needs you to share more stars with the world (12 June 2013)
• Near-Earth Asteroid 2013 LR6 approaching the Earth: an image (7 June 2013)
• Near-Earth  Asteroid 2013 JM22: 13 May 2013 (13 May 2013)
• Partial Lunar Eclipse – 25 April 2013: sequence and animation (26 Apr. 2013)
• Partial Lunar Eclipse – 25 April 2013: maximum (25 Apr. 2013)
• Messier 66 in Leo: a colour view (17 Apr. 2013)
• Online Star Party – 14 April 2013 (15 Apr. 2013)
• Quasar APM 08279+5255: a low-res spectrum and redshift (9 Apr. 2013)
• Once upon a time in a quasar far, far away… (8 Apr. 2013)
• Supernova SN 2013ab in NGC 5669: spectrum and image (3 Apr. 2013)
• Supernova SN 2013am in Messier 65: updates (3 Apr. 2013)
• Supernova SN 2013am in Messier 65: updates (28 Mar. 2013)
• Supernova SN 2013am in Messier 65 (23 Mar. 2013)
• Pan-STARRS, the Spring bringer (21 Mar. 2013)
• Comet Pan-STARRS puts a show in the western skies (17 Mar. 2013)
• Asteroid 2013 ET is approaching us: a video from the Virtual Telescope (5 Mar. 2013)
• Asteroid 2013 EC close encounter: amazing image and video from the Virtual Telescope (4 Mar. 2013)
• Comet Pan-STARRS is heading north (2 Mar. 2013)
• Virtual Telescope serendipitously confirm a nova candidate in M81! (7 Feb. 2013)
• Software upgraded at the Virtual Telescope: 6 Feb. 2013 (6 Feb. 2013)
• Upgrading the software suite at the Virtual Telescope (1 Feb. 2013)
• Near-Earth asteroid 2012 DA14: star map (geocentric) (29 Jan. 2013)
• Asteroid (726) Joella: the first minor planet observed from the observatory site (28 Jan. 2013)
• Asteroid 2012 DA14: view of the close encounter (24 Jan. 2013)
• Comet C/2012 S1 (Ison): star chart and video (23 Jan. 2013)
• Comet C/2011 L4 (Panstarrs): star chart and video (17 Jan. 2013)
• Waiting for asteroid 2012 DA14 close encounter next Feb. (10 Jan. 2013)
• Comet C/2012 K5 (Linear): finding chart (2 Jan. 2013)
• “2012: a memorable year at the Virtual Telescope” (2 Jan. 2013)
• “Goodbye, Toutatis!” (14 Dec. 2012)
• Comet C/2012 S1 ISON: image (23 Oct. 2012)
• Comet 168P/Hergenroter: hi-res image (19 Oct. 2012)
• Asteroid 2012 TC4 is getting closer: new video (11 Oct. 2012)
• Asteroid 2012 TC4 brushes the Earth: new image and video (10 Oct. 2012)
• Asteroid 2012 RK 15 close approach: a possible target for southern observers! (19 Sept. 2012)
• Asteroid 2012 SW2 close approach: the Virtual telescope picked it! (18 Sept. 2012)
• Asteroid 2012 QG42 close approach: a memorable online event (14 Sept. 2012)
• Asteroid 2012 QG42: video from the 11 Sept. online show in Italian (12 Sept. 2012)
• Asteroid 2012 QG42: the Virtual Telescope shows its amazing capabilities (10 Sept. 2012)
• Potentially Hazardous Asteroid 2012 QG42 getting closer (10 Sept. 2012)
• Potentially Hazardous Asteroid 2012 QG24: a spectacular movie! (10 Sept. 2012)
• Potentially Hazardous Asteroid 2012 QG24: a movie! (8 Sept. 2012)
• Potentially Hazardous Asteroid 2012 QG24: finding map (8 Sept. 2012)
• Potentially Hazardous Asteroid 2012 QG24: updates (8 Sept. 2012)
• The Moon, Jupiter and Taurus meet in the sky (7 Sept. 2012)
• Potentially Hazardous Asteroid 2012 QG42: updates (7 Sept. 2012)
• The Virtual Telescope: six years of stars, for all! (02 Sept. 2012)

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