Sormano Astronomical Observatory

Osservatorio Astronomico Sormano

IAU_MPC Code: 587

Address: Osservatorio Astronomico di Sormano Localita' Colma del Piano 22030 Sormano (CO) Italy

Phone: +39 366 2749727

E-mail: sormano@tin.it

Geographic coordinates ED50 : Longitude: 9° 13' 48".9 East Latitude: 45° 53' 1".9 North Height: 1128 m

METEO LIVE

The Observatory of Sormano or Osservatorio Astronomico Sormano is located in the Prealpi Lombarde at an altitude exceeding one thousand meters, at about 40 km north of Milan.

The observatory of Sormano was dedicated in 1987. It was entirely built with the financial contribution of the partners of the Gruppo Astrofili Brianza (fifteen people altogether). Along the years it has oriented its instrumental evolution to the observation of Solar System minor bodies.

The first astrometrical observations were performed photographically in January 1989 and had as subject the famous minor planet 1989 AC (4179) Toutatis, following in the years by the discovery of many new minor planets, as result of a research activity.

Currently the activity includes follow-up of NEOs (Near Earth Objects) and computations (Sw developed at Sormano Observatory) of their MOID (Minimum Orbital Intersection Distance) and close approaches to the Earth of PHAs (Potential Hazard Asteroids) including asteroids with H > 22.0. linked at the JPL-NASA Near Earth Object Program , go to our computation sections (below for more details).

This home page is hosted by INAF Brera Astronomical Observatory.

(99942) APOPHIS
diagrams, descriptions and information about its future very close approach with the Earth with images and animation taken at Sormano plus relevant external links ... Go to the Web page

Asteroid (99942) Apophis will pass at about 36000 Km (geocentric distance) from the Earth on April 13, 2029. Using updated information, NASA scientists have recalculated the path of the large asteroid. The refined path indicates a significantly reduced likelihood of a hazardous encounter with Earth in 2036.

The observatory:	Staff (people involved in the work of the observatory)
	Instruments (telescope and CCD camera used for the observations)
	Activity (observational and non-observational activities)
	Popular Activity (popular meeting and activities)
	Citations (MPC citations of minor planets discovered at the observatory)

Computations __Sw developed at__ Sormano Observatory	Forthcoming Close Approaches to the Earth (list of close approaches to the Earth, within a minimum distance of 1.5 millions km)
	Forthcoming Close Approaches to the inner planets (list of close approaches to Mercury, Venus and Mars within a minimum distance of 0.5 millions km)
	Minor Body Priority List (list of potentially dangerous objects, with MOID and future/past close approaches to the Earth)
	Small Asteroids Encounters List (list of small minor planets (H>22) approaching the Earth, with MOID and close approaches)
	Planetary Close Encounters (list of close approaches of asteroids with Mercury, Venus and Mars for the next two centuries)

Orbit identification of Minor Planets and Comets ( Orbit identification of Comet, PHA, NEA, MBA computed at Sormano)

Publications Internal reports, scientific papers and broadcast interview

Tools and links for observers (Links to Observatories and external services useful to the observers)

Image gallery (images and animations of observations of minor planets and comets. Astronomical events are also included)

Spacecrafts to Asteroids and Comets (list of space missions ,both in progress and planned, towards asteroids and comets, with relevant links)

April 2013: Osiris-Rex target now named (101955)Bennu (an Egyptian mythological figure associated with Osiris, Atum and Ra) ...

History:	Ancient and Medieval Comets in Italy (chronicles, images, thoughts on the appearance of comets in Italy)
	Bicentennial of the discovery of Ceres (a tribute to Giuseppe Piazzi in the bicentennial of the discovery of the first asteroid)

Video popularization ( images and animations from ESA, NASA, ESO composed for popularization and lessons for students, italian language)

Weather / Meteo ( main weather links to real time meteosat images and meteo maps, webcam )