Ferrara to Build Parco delle Stelle Observatory with €300K Funding

The new astronomical observation point will be called Parco delle Stelle and will be built within the orto botanico di Novezza. “The initiative is part of a broader project that also includes expanding the botanical garden itself,” explains the mayor of Ferrara, Guerrino Coltri. “The allocation for its realization, around 300 million lire, is part of a larger package, approximately a billion lire, allocated by the new Finance Law for the enhancement of all Italian observatories in the forecasted budget for the year 2001.” We had already submitted the proposals and related plans last year, but only this year did we receive an affirmative response.

Details on the construction and purpose of Parco delle Stelle

The future Parco delle Stelle will include, besides the building housing the observation instruments, a fiber optic link to the conference room at the Novezzina refuge. From this location, even those who are not astronomy enthusiasts will be able to observe stars, planets, constellations, and galaxies.

“The goal is also to create a dedicated study classroom primarily for school groups.” The observatory will be managed by the Astrofili veronesi group, which has signed a specific agreement with the Municipality. “Already this year, the group has initiated activities and organized a series of informative evenings focused on astronomy.”

Procedures and initial steps of the project

The first step toward realizing this project will be the creation of an equipped area where the building containing the instruments will be erected. “We already have the first necessary funding, and a location has also been chosen, probably near the entrance of the botanical garden.

Once this initial phase is completed, we will be able to move forward with the Parco delle Stelle project itself.”