On Sunday, August 23, Castel Gandolfo enjoyed a special evening dedicated to the Moon, the sky, and the curiosity to learn more about the universe.

The event, entitled “La Luna sul lago” (“The Moon over the Lake”), was organized by the Vatican Observatory together with the Municipality of Castel Gandolfo and attracted a large number of participants. From the very beginning, the public’s interest was clear. The “Marcello Costa” Council Chamber was filled with people of all ages: families, young people, adults, and seniors, all sharing the desire to listen and discover. The program began at 7:30 p.m. with the talk “Under the Same Sky: The History of Astronomy and the Vatican Observatory”, followed at 8:30 p.m. by an observation of the Moon and the night sky.

Father Jacek Olczyk, SJ, a Jesuit and Assistant to the Director of the Vatican Observatory, introduced and guided the first part of the evening, offering those present an opportunity to approach the sky not only through observation, but also through history and scientific research.

After the meeting in the Council Chamber, the public moved to the square in Castel Gandolfo, where the atmosphere became even more special.

There, people who had attended the event from the beginning were joined by others who simply happened to be in the square. Many had come specifically to take part in the evening, while others were tourists visiting Castel Gandolfo or passersby who, intrigued by what was happening, stopped to see what was going on.

In a short time, the square became a meeting place for people of many different ages and backgrounds. Children, young people, adults, and seniors shared the same curiosity and the same desire to look up at the sky. Those who had never had an opportunity like this before quickly became involved in the experience.

Guiding the observation of the Moon alongside Father Olczyk was engineer Claudio Costa, a longtime amateur astronomer, friend, and collaborator of the Vatican Observatory.

The presence of so many people, including those who had stopped by chance, gave the evening a particularly spontaneous character. For some, a visit to the square in Castel Gandolfo unexpectedly became an opportunity to discover astronomy; for others, who had specifically chosen to attend the event, it was a chance to share a common passion with many other people.

The surprise was especially evident among the tourists who found themselves there almost by chance. Many enthusiastically welcomed the opportunity to stop and observe the Moon, discovering something they had not expected to experience that evening.

“La Luna sul lago” offered everyone an opportunity to pause and look upward. For a few hours, the square in Castel Gandolfo became a place where different people came together under the same sky, united by curiosity and wonder.

For the Vatican Observatory, it was also an important opportunity to engage with the public. Sharing knowledge and a passion for astronomy means bringing the sky closer to people and reminding us that scientific research can speak to everyone, not only to specialists.

The large turnout in the Council Chamber and later in the square made the evening particularly successful. People who had come specifically for the event and others who happened upon it by chance found themselves together, pleasantly surprised by an experience that was simple and, at the same time, special.

In Castel Gandolfo, the Moon became a meeting point. And for a while, under the same sky, many people had the opportunity to pause, observe, and experience a sense of wonder.

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