A unique piece of the Museum, still in use for scientific research and university teaching. An opportunity to discover a historical instrument and its technological evolution.
The Galileo telescope, with a mirror 122 cm in diameter, is an element actively used for scientific research and teaching. Located in a complex designed in the 1930s by architect Daniele Calabi, the Galileo telescope represents a unique combination of history and innovation.
Conceived for a double interchangeable optical configuration, Newton and Cassegrain, for more than 20 years it has been used only in this second mode for spectroscopic and photometric observations.
Over the years, the telescope has been continuously updated and enhanced with increasingly advanced instruments, moving from hypersensitive photographic plates to current digital CCDs. This technological evolution allows it to monitor transient phenomena such as novae, supernovae, cataclysmic variables, comets and asteroids, and support night exercises for students of various degree courses, such as astronomy, physics, and geosciences.
Automated since 2008, the telescope can be controlled via the internet, expanding its educational and research potential. It is also a test bench for advanced optical technologies, which will be fundamental for future giant telescopes.