The Observatory

Visit the old Observatory site for other info

Available instruments at a glance

Location: +41°34'06"; +13°19'43" E; Time Zone: GMT+1; typical seeing: 2" or better

Telescope	Aperture/focal length (in mm) and f/d	Mount	CCD	Scale	Filters
C14-f/8.7	356/3100; f/8.7	Paramount ME robotic mount	ST8-XME, Cl1, NABG	0.62"/pixel	LRGB H-alpha 6nm BVRI (Bessel)
Coronado SM 60	60/800; f/13.2	Vixen SP + SS2K	DBK 31AF03.AS	1.2"/pixel

 

   The Bellatrix Astronomical Observatory was founded in 1997, soon after the passage of comet Hale-Bopp and after 15 years of observations without a permanent station.

It is located in Ceccano (FR), Central Italy. Since 1997 the Observatory is identified by the Minor Planet Center code 470. Since 1998 it hosts the Italian station of the Center for Backyard Astrophysics (Columbia University, New York) and the VSNET Collaboration Team.

In Jan. 2006 the available instrumentation was deeply upgraded. The main instrument is now based on a C14-f/11 (360mm, Fastar model) OTA, on a robotic Paramount ME from Software Bisque.

The telescope works at f/8.7 and uses a SBIG ST-8-XME, NABG, class 1, CCD camera as detector. Its CFW-10SA filter wheel hosts the following filters: B, V, R and I (Bessel) from Customs Scientific; Astronomik Type II L, R, G, B; H-alpha 6nm narrowband filter. As the seeing is often better than 2", high-resolution imaging is easy to perform.

The system uses an Optec robotic TCF-S focuser, taking temperature variations into account.

This is an excellent setup, providing an impressing efficiency and scientific return.

 

 

 

   The second telescope is a Coronado SolarMax60 H-alpha OTA on computerized Vixen SP equatorial mount, for amazing views of our close and living star. It uses a DBK 31AF03.AS Imaging Source color CCD camera for imaging.

   Another telescope, based on a paramount ME + C14 OTA is going to be installed soon and will be a twin of the main telescope above. Also, a Takahashi FS-102NSV telescope will be available for excellent imaging of Planets and Moon.

     The observatory is served by a broadband internet connection and a network of three computers, to control everything and assure enough resource for image acquisition and data reduction. these software packages are used: for data reduction CCDSoft, IDL, Astrometrica and Iris.

Telescopes are hosted under a 14-square meters, sliding roof observatory, equipped with a professional meteo station.

Other Vixen ED80sf, Vixen ED100Sf, Celestron Onyx ED80 OTAs complete the instrumentation.