Cosmica - The Astronomy Festival

A festival for stargazing on the Bolognese hills

Cosmica - The Astronomy Festival is the astronomy outreach event held in the Municipality of Monte San Pietro, on the hills of the Metropolitan City of Bologna, in Emilia-Romagna. The heart of the event is the Felsina Astronomical Observatory, on via Varsellane, nestled in the woods at about 651 meters above sea level, in a location within the Montepastore hamlet particularly far from the light pollution of the plain.

The initiative is organized by the Associazione Astrofili Bolognesi (AAB), which has managed the observatory inaugurated on June 19, 1999, for decades. Since 2021, the site has been included in the UNESCO Astronomy Heritage Portal, a recognition that testifies to the scientific and cultural value of this observation site.

The public evening season

Cosmica is not a single event but an entire season: from April to October, the observatory opens its doors to the public for a series of public observation evenings. Under the guidance of amateur astronomers, visitors can admire the main celestial objects through the 400 mm Marcon reflector telescope in Newton/Cassegrain configuration, an instrument of considerable aperture for an amateur observatory.

• Observation of the Moon and planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, and other Solar System bodies
• Exploration of the deep sky: globular clusters (M3, M5, M13, M15), galaxies (M31 Andromeda, M51, M64, M104), and planetary nebulae
• Celestial orientation and educational explanations by members of the Associazione Astrofili Bolognesi

The Perseids evening

The most anticipated moment of the season is the Perseids Evening, dedicated to the meteor shower of the so-called "tears of San Lorenzo." On this occasion, the gathering moves to the Montepastore Sports Field, an open space ideal for gazing at the entire celestial vault and waiting for shooting stars, a mid-summer tradition deeply felt throughout Italy.

An experience for everyone

Cosmica is designed as an outreach activity accessible to everyone, including families and the curious. Access to the evenings is free; adults are only asked for a small symbolic contribution to support the association's activities. Experiencing an evening at the Felsina Observatory means combining scientific discovery with the charm of a night in the woods of the Bolognese hills, with the Apennine sky as the protagonist.