by InTrieste
Under the vast skies of Friuli Venezia Giulia, the INAF Astronomical Observatory of Trieste is once again opening its doors — and telescopes — to the public for a season of open-air cinema, music, and stargazing. Now in its third year, the “Oltre il Cielo” summer series will bring four free evening events to the Observatory’s Basovizza site in 2025, inviting visitors to explore the cosmos both through science and art.
The series launches on June 11 at 9 p.m. with U Are The Universe, a feature-length film by Ukrainian director Pavlo Ostrikov, winner of the INAF Event Horizon Award at the 2024 Trieste Science+Fiction Festival. The screening — in the film’s original language with Italian subtitles — is a collaboration with local film collective Cappella Underground, and promises a cinematic journey that captivated both audiences and juries at its festival debut.
A celebration of the summer solstice on June 21 follows, with a special daytime program devoted to solar observation. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the observatory will welcome visitors hourly for guided looks at the Sun — a rare opportunity to safely witness the dynamics of our nearest star through professional telescopes. Attendance is free but advance reservations are required via www.oats.inaf.it.
The third event, on July 17 at 9 p.m., blends astronomy and classic rock. Pinkakustik, a Pink Floyd tribute band, will perform Pink Floyd Doculive — a multimedia concert experience combining live renditions of the band’s most iconic tracks with storytelling, archival footage, and light effects. The show includes nods to the group’s legendary 1969 BBC studio session that accompanied the Apollo 11 Moon landing, featuring the rarely performed track Moonhead.
The series concludes on September 3 at 9 p.m. with an evening of science communication — details to be announced — promising a finale that will look up, literally and metaphorically, inviting attendees to contemplate humanity’s place in the cosmos.
“Oltre il Cielo” is part of a growing movement in Italy to bring science into the cultural mainstream, transforming observatories into gathering places where curiosity is celebrated — not just about the stars, but about the stories we tell under them.
