University of Molise joins PRISMA-INAF network, installs meteor station in Pesche

The University of Molise (UniMol) has become part of the national PRISMA‑INAF scientific network, which monitors meteors and atmospheric bolides. A new all‑sky “fish‑eye” camera, designated ITMO01, was installed on the roof of the Department of Biosciences and Territory in Pesche, creating the region’s first meteor‑monitoring station.

The system captures 180‑degree images of the sky 24 hours a day, transmitting data automatically to PRISMA‑INAF’s central database, which already includes more than one hundred stations across Italy. Combined observations allow researchers to triangulate bolide trajectories, determine their original orbits and, when possible, predict the fall area of meteorites. The installation also provides a hands‑on resource for university teaching, student projects and citizen‑science outreach.