Italy hosts free telescope night and highlights Dark Sky sites for summer meteor shower

On Saturday 23 August 2025 the Associazione Stellaria will run a free public telescope night at Agriturismo Il Rifugio, over 1,000 m above sea level. Participants can bring their own instruments or use the association’s telescopes, receive hands‑on help, and enjoy a dinner menu (vegetarian option available). Reservations are mandatory via WhatsApp.

A separate guide lists Italy’s best Dark‑Sky locations for viewing the Perseids meteor shower, which peaks between 22 h 12 August and 04 h 13 August with up to 100 meteors per hour. The guide also notes the appearance of comet 10P/Tempel 2 on 2 August, a unique Moon‑Venus‑Jupiter conjunction before dawn on 20 August, and the recent “Village of the Stars” certification for Allai in Sardinia, the country’s first town recognized for its low light pollution and dedicated stargazing infrastructure.