Islanders can often have trouble seeing a world beyond their own shores let alone outside our own atmosphere. Hopefully, that can all change with Gozo set to get its own astronomical observatory.

Earlier today, the government and the University of Malta announced a €160,000 investment into the observatory, which will be located at Gnien ta’ Sopu in Nadur, an area of little light pollution.

A telescope with specialised photographic capabilities that can gather information on celestial objects close to earth will be fitted at the observatory.

Astrophysicist Joseph Caruana explained that the project will serve both students and researches in Malta and abroad, while also promoting interest in the subject and preserving sites which are still naturally dark.

“Astronomy is often described as the oldest science in the world; from the very beginning, human beings looked up at the sky and asked questions about the universe, asked about their origins. It’s a topic that continues to bewitch people of all ages and this observatory will help train our sense of curiosity,” he said.

The project, while deserving of praise, comes just months after a permit for the extension of a restaurant in Dwejra, a “dark sky heritage area”, was approved despite posing serious concerns for astronomists, residents, and environmentalists alike.

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