Entry €5, free for members in good standing with the 2026 renewal and children up to 11 years old. 

Reservation is not necessary. Timeliness is recommended.

For more info, consult the page www.rheticus.it

Events at the Astronomical Observatory

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2026 at 5.30 p.m. at the Arson Astronomical Center

VENUS AT THE TELESCOPE: DISCOVERING THE INFERNAL TWIN OF EARTH  – Paolo D’Incà – (Rheticus)

“Pearl star in the veil of dusk, mantle of clouds concealing hell: the purest light of the serene sky guards a fire of love and eternal. The cold ocular dial turns: the eye rests in the lens’s circle. And suddenly you see it tremble, an elegant crescent soaring in the dark…”

Visible as a bright star at twilight and dawn, Venus continues to represent one of the most fascinating and complex subjects for amateur and scientific astronomical observation. Often defined as Earth’s “twin” due to similar size and mass, the second planet of the Solar System actually conceals an extreme environment radically different from that of Earth.

Characterizing Venus is intense atmospheric activity dominated by a thick layer of carbon dioxide, responsible for an uncontrolled greenhouse effect that keeps surface temperatures consistently above 450 °C. This dense cloud cover reflects most of the sunlight, making the planet the brightest object in the night sky after the Moon, but completely hiding its rocky surface from observation in visible light.

For astronomy enthusiasts, observing Venus through the telescope offers insights of great historical and scientific interest. The main feature is the cycle of phases (similar to those of the Moon), the discovery of which by Galileo Galilei was crucial in demonstrating the heliocentric model. Venus goes from a small nearly full disk when far from the Sun to a large and thin crescent when it approaches Earth.

This afternoon observation of Venus with the various telescopes at the Center will give us an opportunity to discover how, quoting Galileo, the Mother of Loves, Venus, mimics the figures of Cynthia, the Moon  and will be followed by a conference led by Paolo D’Incà of the Rheticus board, supported by spectacular images and videos of the planet.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2026 at 9 p.m. at the Arson Astronomical Center

THE SPANISH ECLIPSE

images and stories from the Feltrino expedition (Rheticus staff)

“The appointment with the greatest show in the world is set for August 12, 2026: the first total solar eclipse to sweep across continental European soil in over a quarter of a century. Choosing to travel to the plateau south of Burgos proves to be the perfect choice to dodge the Atlantic clouds. In the late afternoon, a silent crowd of amateur astronomers, photographers, and travelers from the province of Belluno gather among the golden fields of already harvested wheat. The tripod of telescopes parades in solemn procession, while the lenses covered by special filters reflect the warm tones of the setting sun. The hot peak of August in the Castilian meseta dissipates into an almost mystical anticipation as the clock approaches the early hours of the evening…”

This is how the appointment begins, leading to a sensation of temporal suspension that is impossible to describe, the wait for a cobalt blue twilight to descend across the sky of Spain at 360 degrees along the horizon and the invisible Moon to completely obscure the Sovereign of the day…

But before this, there is much more, a scientific premise that must be illustrated. If the phenomenon of the solar eclipse represents one of the most fascinating spectacles that celestial mechanics can offer, we know that it is based on precise mathematical principles, orbital dynamics, and phenomena of interaction between light and matter. Rheticus staff will discuss all of this in detail in the first part of this meeting, which will be followed, with a mix of joviality and emotion, by the telling of what happened in Iberian land through the eyes and heart of those present.

At 9 p.m., before our chat, we will have the chance to observe and admire through the Center’s telescopes a beautiful waxing Moon in the best observable conditions, clearly highlighting the craters Plato, Tycho, Clavius, and Aristoteles.

In case of bad weather, the demonstration will take place entirely in the planetarium.