The U.A.L., UNIONE ASTROFILI LUCCHESI, is born from the need to form people attracted by astronomy into a group, and to divulgate astronomical science and related matters of concern. The initiative was taken by a group of young students, keen of astronomy, who, after some time spent observing ad acting on their own, decided to expand their activity all over the city’s territory. This was the reason that leaded to the foundation of the association, by notarial deed, on December 21, 1999. The six founder-members were not at their first experience of associative life: they were all coming from the organization, during the years of secondary school, of several scientific events, most remarkable of all the meeting between students and Prof. Franco Pacini, director of astrophysics observatory of Arcetri, and the trip to Munchen, Germay, to observe the solar eclipse of August 11, 1999. As our founding chart recites -“The association is not lucrative, and our objectives are both to divulgate astronomy and other related sciences and to guarantee collaboration and communication between members”- The U.A.L., which now counts more than 110 members, reaches his objectives thanks to his many activities in the territory, and to his collaboration with other entities operating on larger scale, such as the Italian astronomy passionates association (U.A.I.- Unione Astrofili Italiani), of wich the U.A.L. is territorial delegation for Lucca, and the Coordination of astronomical associations in Tuscany (C.A.A.T. - Coordinamento Associazioni Astrofile della Toscana). The U.A.L. is also operating in contact with public entities, such as the municipality of Lucca, which often patrocinates our initiatives. After four years of activity, the association has now earned a good reputation all-over the city’s territory, thanks to our various activities, restricted to members or open to everyone. Among them, we like to underline: the annual public observation of the Moon, organized directly in the city centre, and the annual exposition of the astronomical photography collection from all the associations in Tuscany, both of these activities inserted on the “Settembre Lucchese”, a month of cultural, commercial and ricreative activities in the city; the observation, again in the city centre, of the transit of Mercury on the Sun, on May 7, 2003; the public meeting with Doct. Mario di Martino, asteroid export, about the “cosmic risk“of an impact with an asteroid or comet. We also organize cultural trips, like the visits at the nuclear physics laboratory under mount Gran Sasso and at the astronomical observatory of Campo Imperatore (2002) and the visits at the radio-observatory of Medicina, Bologna, and the meteorite museum of S.Giovanni in Persiceto (2003). Every member also benefits of a number of specific activities, like night observations, visits to observatories, conferences, etcetera. Last but not least, our associative newspaper Helios, sent regularly to every member, and on which everyone is encouraged to write on.

Board of governors:

Giovanni Fenili (President)

Andrea D’Urso (Vice-president)

Gabriele Bove (Treasurer)

Cristiana Cattani (Secretary)

Andrea Chifenti (Concillor)

Informations:

Giovanni Fenili GSM: +393398193098

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