Gianluca Masi


Gianluca Masi is an Italian astrophysicist and astronomer, as well as a discoverer of minor planets and variable stars.

Scientific career

He started his interest in astronomy at childhood, later becoming a professional astronomer, earning a PhD in astronomy at the Sapienza University of Rome in 2006. At the same time, he devoted a lot of efforts to science communication, on the international stage.

Vincent van Gogh painting

His professional interests include asteroids and comets, variable stars and extrasolar planets, with many contributions in all those fields. He was able to determine the date that Vincent van Gogh painted Starry Night Over the Rhone by studying the star placement.

Virtual Telescope project

In 2006 he started the Virtual Telescope project, consisting in several robotic telescopes, remotely available in real-time over the Internet. Through this system, real time, online observing sessions are performed, sharing the universe with the world. More than 1,000,000 individuals each year observe the sky through the Virtual Telescope.

Awards and honors

He received a number of prizes, including the Ruggieri Prize, the Gene Shoemaker NEO Grant and the Tacchini Prize as well as other acknowledgements for his scientific activities. The Nysian asteroid 21795 Masi, discovered by his college Franco Mallia in 1999, was named in his honor.

List of discovered minor planets

10931 Ceccano16 February 1998
20433 Prestinenza14 February 1999
20513 Lazio10 September 1999 
21661 Olgagermani1 September 1999
21685 Francomallia11 September 1999
21799 Ciociaria1 October 1999 
6 August 1999
40409 Taichikato6 September 1999
49501 Basso13 February 1999
9 February 2003 
66458 Romaplanetario22 August 1999
73453 Ninomanfredi13 July 2002 
74625 Tieproject10 September 1999 
79641 Daniloceirani19 September 1998 
28 March 2003