A decline and fall in the future of Italian Astronomy?
Antonelli, Angelo ; Antonuccio-delogu, Vincenzo ; Baruffolo, Andrea ; et al. ; - ASI Sponsor
Jan - 2010

journal : Astronomy \& Astrophysics
type: Article Journal

Abstract
On May 27th 2010, the Italian astronomical community learne d with concern that the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) was going to be suppressed, and that its employees were going to be transferred to the National Resea rch Council (CNR). It was not clear if this applied to all employees (i.e. also to resea rchers hired on short-term contracts), and how this was going to happen in practice. In t his letter, we give a brief historical overview of INAF and present a short chronicle of the few eventful days that followed. Starting from this example, we then comment on the current situation and prospects of astronomical research in Italy.

keywords : ASI - Sponsor