A Rocky Bicentennial

Asteroids come of age

Built atop a 12th-century tower in the royal palace of Sicily, the Palermo Observatory has a commanding view of domed cathedrals, an ornate opera house, and an ancient gateway with rooftop gallery and colonnade. But what really draws the eye are the craggy mountains on the horizon.

View of the rocky seacoast in Santa Flavia, Italy, not far from the Palermo Observatory.