ほっし校長 
**Konica Minolta Planetarium**
A heart-captivating starry-sky entertainment experience. In the heart of the city, immerse yourself in a special moment wrapped in starlight, filled with excitement, discoveries, occasional travels, and unforgettable glows. Experience your very own starry sky at Konica Minolta Planetarium.
Beyond the city lies a world of sand. Tonight, we will sweep you into an aromatic, enchanting Arabian night. The Neptarium offers an Arabian Night Healing with stars dancing across the sky. A sacred place where a special starry sky can be seen.
Travel through the sacred lands of Ise Island, Nobe Hill, and Tarama Island. Discover the miracle of being here now. A pilgrimage to sacred places under a premium night sky.
Unfamiliar words. A journey through stone structures. Gazing up at the clear sky and taking a deep breath of the unusual air, you can’t help but smile.
We are in Rome. While traveling through Italy today, let’s also enjoy a celestial stroll.
Rome is dotted with World Heritage sites and historical streetscapes that make time fly by, and suddenly it’s already evening with a beautiful sunset.
And this beautiful Roman cityscape. It’s not often that you can leisurely watch a sunset, so it’s quite nice. It really feels like a journey. Let’s wander around the streets of Rome a bit more until nightfall.
We’ve arrived at a lively spot.
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In the movie “Roman Holiday,” Princess Anne was there. She was eating gelato on those steps. Freed from her constrained daily life, everything she saw was new and exciting. That’s the charm of traveling, don’t you think? Seeing so many things for the first time and somehow feeling like a different version of yourself.
Does it make you feel like a new story is about to begin? Particularly in Rome, where the historical architecture and everyday lives of the residents overlap, creating a very charming city. Just strolling around makes you feel like,
Like you are a protagonist in a movie. We’ve arrived at a must-visit spot when you come to Rome—the Pantheon. Built nearly 2000 years ago, it was created as a temple to worship all the gods of ancient Rome.
It’s the most complete and largest concrete and stone-built ancient Roman architecture existing today. Let’s go inside. It’s magnificent. It’s understandable why the great Italian artist Michelangelo praised its design as angelic.
To stage a grand performance in such a luxurious setting would be tremendously satisfying, don’t you think? Is that a professional hazard? This skylight is called an Oculus. In Latin, Oculus means ‘eye.’
Perhaps it means that the gods watch over us through this Oculus. Now, the Roman starry sky is watching over us. The purpose is,
You can enjoy a delicious dinner with wine at a trattoria or go on a night tour of the art museums. But tonight’s the night.
In Rome, seeing familiar constellations such as Leo and Libra, which are also visible in Japan, might surprise some people. Despite being about 15 hours away by direct flight, why do we see a sky similar to Japan’s?
Rome, Italy’s capital, is at a latitude of 41 degrees, while Tokyo, Japan’s capital, is at 35 degrees latitude. Their latitudes are almost the same. That’s why, even in such a distant land, you can reunite with familiar stars.
Many constellations are based on Greek mythology, but do you know there are myths derived from Rome here? The Pantheon, which we visited earlier, was built to dedicate to these Roman gods. The similarities and common points in these mythological stories are because ancient Rome unified surrounding areas, inheriting and developing ancient Greek culture, forming the foundation of later European culture.
Ancient Rome also had its own myths, but they intertwined their deities with those of ancient Greece, adding new interpretations and episodes, turning them into more famous gods imbued with rich narratives. Surprisingly, these stories connect with us even today.
For instance, Virgo, presently gracing the sky with elegance. Various theories exist, but in Greek mythology, she is said to be the goddess of agriculture, Demeter. However, on Virgo’s left hand, a bright first-magnitude star, Spica, can be seen. Spica is known as the tip of the grain.
This Demeter from the Virgo constellation is equated with Ceres, the Roman goddess of grain, lending her name, in English, to the term ‘cereal.’ Perhaps some of you have a cereal breakfast? Doesn’t it bring mythology closer to home?
The stars have begun moving. Let’s continue enjoying our celestial stroll.
The bright star visible here is Jupiter. The red star below to the left is Mars. To the left, where the Earth is projected, is Venus. Let’s say these are the planets of the solar system.
The English names of these planets are derived from the gods of Roman mythology, which succeeded Greek mythology. Here, shining is the cosmic star, its English name taken from the Roman goddess Venus, identical to Aphrodite in Greek mythology.
Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Someone gazing at the night’s sky, seeing this vividly shining star, might have thought of the goddess of beauty.
The master of Roman mythology, Jupiter, derives from this. Known as Zeus in Greek mythology, Jupiter is the chief god in Greek myths and is believed to have been associated with the largest solar system planet, Jupiter.
In Roman mythology is Mars, known as Ares in Greek. Both were significant gods. Sometimes called war-loving Romans, in ancient Rome, where they built a vast empire through repeated wars, the war deity held great importance.
Also, March, named ‘Mars’ in English, stems from Mars, the Roman god of war. Spring marks the time when the snow melts and plants sprout and was also the season when wars began, hence the name derived from the war god.
By the way, the word “planet” is closely related to where you are seated. The term “planetarium” means a place to view planets, stemming from “planet” combined with “-arium,” denoting a place to see something. Hence, a planetarium is a place to view planets. The origin of the word “planet” traces back to the Latin “planetis,” meaning wanderer.
Perhaps these planets are wandering, or like us, taking a stroll through the cosmos. Now, let’s return from space to the ground and venture slightly beyond Rome.
We have arrived in Tuscany. Situated in central Italy, Tuscany boasts vibrant streets and lush nature.
It’s home to many famous tourist cities and the birthplace of a great astronomer. Let me introduce a few spots in this enchanting region. This is Pienza.
In the 15th century, young Pope Pius II aimed to transform his hometown into a Renaissance-styled town. The urban plan, considering spatial expanse and surrounding scenery, is exceptionally beautiful, making it a popular destination today for tourists.
Next is Siena. Siena is enveloped in a historic streetscape. One of Siena’s highlights is this magnificent cathedral.
This cathedral boasts exquisite decorations throughout. The Piccolomini Library inside is adorned with beautiful frescoes. Although it is tempting to gaze upwards while walking, the floor is also decorated beautifully.
The moon motifs depicted on these tiles are the emblem of the Piccolomini family. History and spirit can be felt in the fine details. Lastly is the Val d’Orcia. This valley, picturesque wherever you glance, is a Tuscan UNESCO World Heritage site.
In Tuscany was the home of the individual known as the father of modern astronomy, Galileo Galilei. He peered up at these skies with a telescope, discovering many phenomena.
Let us embark on a celestial stroll that traces his discoveries under Tuscany’s starry sky. The first thing Galileo observed was the moon. When he peered at the moon through a telescope, he was astounded.
At the time, it was believed that the moon was a smooth, perfect sphere, akin to crystal. However, observing it, Galileo found spots similar to the patterns of a peacock’s tail. This discovery led to the understanding that the moon, like Earth, has mountains and valleys.
When he gazed through his telescope at the Milky Way, what appeared cloud-like to the naked eye turned out to be a collection of numerous stars. Galileo’s spirit of inquiry didn’t stop there. With his calm observation, he questioned even facts considered common knowledge.
The catalyst was the discovery of four satellites orbiting Jupiter. In Italy, it was firmly believed that Earth was immobile, and the heavens moved, that is, the geocentric model was widely accepted. Yet, Galileo found four satellites revolving around Jupiter. In his mind, surfaced an old, forgotten hypothesis—
The heliocentric theory. It posited that Earth was not static but was in motion. This earth-shaking discovery was not easily accepted by the people.
But eventually, heliocentrism was acknowledged, and this discovery now underpins modern astronomy, taught in textbooks. The four satellites that altered Galileo’s fate—Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto—are known today as the Galilean Moons. His approach, which questioned the establishment and never yielded to pressure, resonates raw and inspiring.
Some 400 years ago, if he hadn’t peered through his telescope, the world’s accepted truths might have been starkly different. Finally, let us visit a spot in Italy renowned for offering some of the most exceptional stargazing opportunities.
We have arrived at Gran Sasso. In Italian, Gran Sasso means ‘large stone,’ it’s located in Italy’s central Abruzzo region. Surrounded by vast nature, visitors can witness a sweeping variety of majestic landscapes. It’s a perfect spot for starlit walks.
There are cattle enjoying their lunch here. It’s a bit enviable to enjoy lunch in such a scenic environment, isn’t it?
This is an observatory near Gran Sasso. As I’ve mentioned as a prime stargazing location, its high altitude and natural surroundings allow for stunning views of the stars. Here’s the Gran Sasso’s sky.
Ah, a shooting star. Alas, my wish was not made in time. The custom of wishing upon a shooting star exists beyond Japan, extending to Italy. While in Japan, it’s said that if you repeat your wish three times, it would come true, in Italy, once is enough.
In Italy, the night of August 10 is called the Night of San Lorenzo, where there is a tradition of wishing upon shooting stars. San Lorenzo was a real Christian martyr, believed to have been martyred on August 10, 258 AD.
August is when the Perseids meteor shower is most visible, making it easier for people to wish upon a shooting star. Here, in Gran Sasso, where stars are immaculate, experiencing a San Lorenzo night could reveal the most spectacular views of shooting stars.
Alright, even though it’s autumn now, since we’re in a planetarium, let’s pretend it’s the night of August 10. Have you thought of your wish? Since we are in Italy, wishing just once should suffice.
Though it’s with a touch of nostalgia, the Italian celestial journey is nearing its end. It’s something that one deeply feels. However, even when we return to our daily lives, if you look up at the night sky, you’ll find a starry sky similar to Italy’s unfolding above you.
When you wish to take a little break, just glance at the night sky and revisit the beautiful sceneries and calming days encountered during this starlit journey. I believe that’s part of what makes travel so wonderful. When reminiscing is not enough, let’s embark on another Italian starlit journey together.
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【絵本】ガンと闘う10歳の僕におきた奇跡
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生き抜く力【ガンと闘う10歳の僕に起きた奇跡】｜ほっし校長｜note
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