Italian plans for astrophysical observations from Antarctica

Extract

The characteristics which make Antarctica interesting for astrophysical research are: i) atmospheric transparency, ii) remoteness iii) geographical and geomagnetic position. Because of previous experience of observation from arctic sites in northern Europe and from isolated mountain sites, groups of Italian astrophysicists were immediately ready to go to Antarctica and bring their equipment to places not easily accessible, in a difficult environment when, about ten years, ago, the antarctic regions became more accessible.