Photo: Andreabonacina, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
- Type
- Museum
- Elevation
- 1,128 m above sea level
- Coordinates
- 45°52′59″ N, 9°13′45″ E
History and description
The Sormano Astronomical Observatory (Italian: Osservatorio Astronomico Sormano, obs. code: 587) is an astronomical observatory north of Milan, Italy. Located near the Swiss border at 1000 meters elevation at the mountain village of Sormano in the pre-Alps, the observatory was privately funded by the Gruppo Astrofili Brianza and built in 1986.
Description
The observatory is known for its astrometric observations of minor planets and comets in the Solar System. After its first light in January 1989, several amateur astronomers such as Marco Cavagna, Valter Giuliani, Piero Sicoli, Pierangelo Ghezzi, Francesco Manca, Paolo Chiavenna, Graziano Ventre and Augusto Testa have made their minor planet discoveries at the observatory using its 50-centimeter "Cavagna Telescope", a Ritchey–Chrétien astrograph. Astronomers at Sormano have developed their own custom software to make follow-up observations of near-Earth objects such as 4179 Toutatis and 99942 Apophis.
The Eunomia asteroid 6882 Sormano, discovered by Piero Sicoli and Valter Giuliani, was named in honor of the village and its discovering nearby observatory. Naming citation was published on 3 May 1996 (M.P.C. 27130).
A second observatory, Sormano 2 Observatory (obs. code: L06) is located nearby, at 373 meters elevation, just south of Bellagio. The observatory also conducts astrometric observations, such as of the near-Earth object 2018 CY2 in February 2018, using a 0.28-meter reflector (f/10 + CCD).
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Osservatorio Astronomico Sormano».
Timeline
- 1987Opened
Events and people from Wikidata (CC0).
Photos
Getting there
AssoTrain, nearest
4.4 km as the crow flies
Osservatorio Astronomico Sormano
Pognana5.7 km
Aeroporto di Lugano-Agno28.1 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore museums in Lombardy
- Free 1st Sunday
Frequently asked questions
Where is Osservatorio Astronomico Sormano?
Osservatorio Astronomico Sormano is in Sormano, in the province of Como (Lombardy), Italy. GPS coordinates: 45.88294, 9.22919.
What else is there to see near Osservatorio Astronomico Sormano?
Nearby you’ll find: Villa Magni-Rizzoli (4.7 km away), Teatro Sociale (5 km away), Museo del Ciclismo Madonna del Ghisallo (5.5 km away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 7 photos
- OsservatorioAstronomicoSormano — Andreabonacina, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 2026-10-14 Foto nuovo osservatorio Cecilia Castelletti — Cecilia Castelletti, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Access road to new astronomical observatory - planetary (Sormano) — Kaitu, CC0
- Astronomical observatory (Sormano), former Capanna Stoppani mountain hut — Kaitu, CC0
- Dome of the new astronomical observatory - planetary (Sormano) — Kaitu, CC0
- Information board on astronomical observatory (Sormano) — Kaitu, CC0
- Information board on construction of new astronomical observatory - planetarium (Sormano) — Kaitu, CC0
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences