In addition to celestial bodies such as the Sun and the planets, the Solar System includes satellites, asteroids,
meteors, meteorites and comets. These terms, which are sometimes confused with each other,
identify well-defined celestial objects, distinct from each other.
Inspired by important astronomical events (in 2018, NASA will put the Sentinel satellite in orbit to discover asteroids potentially dangerous for life on Earth; in 2018 and 2019 we will see the total lunar eclipse) and significant anniversaries (on 20 July 2019 are celebrated 50 years from the moon landing), the exhibition presents the characteristics of these minor celestial bodies, real travelers of the cosmos, which have a great scientific value as they contain important information concerning the history of the Universe and the evolution of life on the planet Earth. Moreover, these celestial objects are often linked to the collective imagination as protagonists of historical events, catastrophic films and legends.
The exhibition combines these anthropological aspects with general and detailed scientific information. Next to the objects, there are interactive and multimedia stations that allow you to better understand the characteristics of asteroids, meteors and comets, stations that allow each visitor to experience the visit as an engaging experience where everyone is the protagonist of their journey of knowledge.
The exhibition is designed with an interdisciplinary approach in relation to the different celestial bodies (asteroids, meteorites and comets) and presents the following themes: origin and morphology (composition, appearance, classification), astrophysics, history and culture (from art to literature , at the cinema), the risk of impact, the evolution of life on Earth and the great extinctions. In addition, the topics related to astronautics and space exploration and research will be divided into separate sections and integrated along the exhibition path: from the first satellites and probes to the missions with animals and plants to the space travel of Homo sapiens, with a look to the future.