Francesco Cepparo
Papers
1
Total Citations
2
H-Index
1
About
Dr. Francesco Cepparo is an astronomer and instrumentation specialist at INAF—the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics—whose work centers on the automation and modernization of astronomical observatories, with a particular focus on public outreach and education. His most cited paper, “A complete automatization of an educational observatory at INAF-OATs” (2018), details the robotic transformation of a Celestron C14 telescope at the Astronomical Observatory of Trieste. By integrating a Paramount ME equatorial mount with a Beckhoff PLC system, Cepparo enabled fully remote, unattended operation of the facility, dramatically increasing its accessibility for schools and the public. This contribution, while modest in citation count (2), represents a practical, high-impact achievement in observational infrastructure: it transformed a manually operated dome into a reliable, automated educational resource. Cepparo’s work exemplifies how engineering expertise can bridge the gap between professional research facilities and community engagement, ensuring that even small telescopes can serve as powerful tools for inspiring the next generation of astronomers. His efforts at OATs stand as a model for cost-effective observatory automation in the service of science education.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1A complete automatization of an educational observatory at INAF-OATs2 citations · 2018