Goodbye Campaner, discoverer of twelve supernovae

Ponte di Piave, former Stefanel manager, died at the age of 70. His discoveries made with a telescope built by himself in the garden. Known throughout the world for the results of his research

BRIDGE OF PIAVE. Paolo Campaner, former Stefanel manager, but above all an extremely valuable Treviso amateur astronomer, died at the age of 70.

He lived in Ponte di Piave where, starting in 1976, he had built a powerful telescope and an observatory in the garden. With those tools he had managed to discover 12 supernovae and for this reason he was quoted and interviewed by the major international magazines in the sector and beyond.

Paolo Campaner, chemistry analyst diploma, 41 years of work in the clothing field archived in 2015 with the attainment of retirement, was known for his great passion that he shared with the Trevigiani Astrofili Group. For years he has revealed the mysteries of the starry sky in very popular popular evenings and in meetings with students from all over the Veneto region and beyond. “Passion for me is the basis of everything, an incentive to overcome the hardships and always face new challenges”, he said in an interview with the Tribuna di Treviso. Thus he recounted the discovery of his eighth supernova: «It was 3.30», he relives the long wake up to the stars, «a little regretfully, I was about to abandon the line and close the observatory». But the sky was clear and clear and Campaner, despite his tiredness inviting him to retreat, decided to put his spotlight on for another half hour in search of supernovae. He programmed the telescope to capture 17 galaxies.

Then he allowed himself three hours of rest. At 9 in the morning he downloaded the files for the verifications. Few asteroids captured, but from the latest images, stopped before the light of dawn erased the stars, the surprise you don’t expect. «And it is precisely there, on the IC1702 galaxy, in the constellation of Pisces», said Campaner excitedly, «that the last bursts of nocturnal photons have left the imprint of an incredible and unthinkable supernova of magnitude 17.2». The amateur immediately informed the ISSP.

He did it 12 times. Then, recently, a tumor had undermined his body.