Flyeye telescope arrives in Madonie: final approval in Parliament

Last Updated: October 5, 2023

The approval of the Asset Decree by the Italian Parliament has given the green light to the controversial telescope in the Madonie area. The decree, which falls under the competence of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, led by Minister Adolfo Urso, states that European-funded astronomical observatories are of strategic importance for space research and should not be restricted by local landscape or urban planning regulations. This decision aligns with the European Space Agency’s funding of the “Flyeye” telescope project in 2016, which aims to study minor celestial bodies. The selected site for the telescope’s construction is the Mount Mufara in Isnello, where an existing observatory operates. The telescope, considered the future guardian of Earth, was presented in 2019. Its modular structure, resembling the compound eye of insects, allows for automatic nightly sky observations to identify small and unpredictable asteroids at risk of imminent impact with Earth. Equipped with 16 cameras, the telescope provides exceptional vision capabilities.