The Italian Supernovae Search Project (ISSP) is the new collaboration between the main four rItalian groups operating in the extragalactic supernova research field: the CROSS of Col Drusciè Observatory - Cortina d'Ampezzo (Belluno), the MOSS of Montarrenti Observatory (Siena), the MASACAS of Monte Agliale Observatory (Lucca) and the MVSS of Montecatini Val di Cecina Observatory (Pisa).

The collaboration aims to create a joint supernova research program that allows to monitor many stellar field as frequently as possible searching for supernova explosions.

The seven telescopes available are:

• Ritchey Chretien 0.53m f/8.7 Osservatorio Astronomico Provinciale di Montarrenti;
• Newton 0.52m f/5 Osservatorio Astronomico del Col Drusciè - Cortina;
• Newton 0.50m f/4.5 Osservatorio Astronomico di Monte Agliale;
• Dall-Kirkham 0.40m f/10 Osservatorio Astronomico di Montecatini Val di Cecina;
• Schmidt Cassegrain 0.35m f/11 Osservatorio Astronomico di Montecatini Val di Cecina;
• Schmidt Cassegrain 0.28m f/6.3 Osservatorio Astronomico del Col Drusciè - Cortina;
• Newton 0.25m f/5 Osservatorio Astronomico di Montecatini Val di Cecina.

The collaboration, born on 4 June, 2011 after a meeting between the group representatives held in Montecatini Val di Cecina, aims to divide the sky observable from Mid-Northern Italy into separated zones to assign to each group. Each group monitors its sky zone, following the best research method according to their instruments.

Every participant can observe also other zones, if weather conditions are unpredictable or if the Moon is in the sky zone it has to monitor, in order to always have a sufficient number of stellar fields to analyse.

The goal of the collaboration is the research efficiency, joining the work of individual groups in order to increase supernova discoveries.

The fast exchange of information between ISSP participants via web allows also to suddenly take confirmation images in the case of a suspected supernova.

During the first six months of operation (June-December, 2011), the ISSP has taken more than 68000 images and has discovered 19 supernovae. Here the statistics of year 2011: