Vatican Observatory: Difference between revisions

The '''Vatican Observatory''' ({{Lang-it|Specola Vaticana}}) is an astronomical research and educational institution supported by the [[Holy See]]. Originally based in the [[Roman College]] of [[Rome]], the Observatory is now headquartered in [[Castel Gandolfo]], [[Italy]] and operates a telescope at the [[Mount Graham International Observatory]] in the [[United States]].<ref name="nytimes">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/23/science/23Vatican.html?hpw|title=Vatican’sVatican's Celestial Eye, Seeking Not Angels but Data|last=Johnson|first=George|date=2009-06-22 June 2009|publisherwork=[[The New York Times]]|accessdate=2009-06access-date=24 June 2009}}</ref>

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The Church has had a long-standing interest in astronomy, due to the astronomical basis of the calendar by which holy days and [[Easter]] are determined. For instance, the [[Gregorian Calendar]], promulgated in 1582 by Pope [[Gregory XIII]], was developed by [[Aloysius Lilius]] and later modified by [[Christoph Clavius]] at the [[Pontifical Gregorian University|Collegio Romano]] from astronomical data. The [[Gregorian Tower]] was completed in 1580 for his purpose, designed by Bolognese architect [[Ottaviano MatteNonni]].

In the 18th century, the Papacy actively supported astronomy, establishing the Observatory of the Roman College in 1774. In 1789–17871787–1789, the ''Specola Vaticana'' in the Tower of the Winds within the Vatican was established under the direction of Msgr. Filippo Luigi Gilii (1756–1821). When Msgr. Gilii died, the ''Specola'' was closed down because it was inconvenient for students in the city because the dome of [[St. Peter's Basilica|St. Peter's]] obstructed its view. Its instruments were transferred to the College Observatory. A third facility, the Observatory of the Capitol, was operated from 1827 to 1870.

Father [[Angelo Secchi]] SJ relocated the College Observatory to the top of [[Sant'Ignazio|Sant'Ignazio di Loyola a Campo Marzio]] (Church of St. Ignatius in [[Rome]]). In 1870, with the [[Risorgimento|capture of Rome]], the College Observatory fell into the hands of the Italian Government. Out of respect for his work, however, Father Secchi was permitted to continue using the Observatory. After Secchi's death in 1878 the Observatory was nationalized by the Italian government and renamed the ''Regio Osservatorio al Collegio Romano'' ("Royal Observatory at the Roman College"), ending astronomical research in the Vatican.

By the 1930s, the smoke and sky-glow of the city had made it impossible to conduct useful observations in Rome.<ref name="nytimes" /> [[Pope Pius XI]] relocated the Observatory to Castel Gandolfo, which is {{convert|25|km|mi}} southeast of Rome. By 1961, the same problems with [[light pollution]] made observing difficult at Castel Gandolfo. The Observatory then established the '''Vatican Observatory Research Group (VORG)''', with offices at the [[Steward Observatory]] of the [[University of Arizona]] in [[Tucson]], [[Arizona]].<ref name="nytimes" />

D.K.J. O'Connell produced the first color photographs of a [[green flash]] at sunset in 1960.<ref name="lits">{{cite book |title=Lights in the Sky: Identifying and Understanding Astronomical and Meteorological Phenomena |last=Maunder |first=Michael |year=2007 |publisher=Springer |isbn=1846287618978-1846287619 |page=72 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kqv5G6O1rFUC |accessdateaccess-date=28 September 2013}}</ref> In 1993, VORG completed construction of the {{convert|1.8|m|in}} [[Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope]], which is at [[Mount Graham]] near [[Safford, Arizona]].

The Observatory's headquarters remain in Italy at Castel Gandolfo. In early 2008, the Vatican announced that the Observatory would be relocated to a former convent a mile away from the castle as part of a general reconstruction of the Papal residence. Its former space would be used to provide more room for the reception of diplomatic visitors. There was some commentary that the Observatory was being shut down or cut back, but in fact the Observatory staff welcomed the move.{{Citation needed|date=March 2015}} The old quarters in the castle were cramped and very poorly laid out for the Observatory's use. VORG research activities in Arizona continued unaffected.

*[[{{section link|Catholic Church and science#|Vatican Observatory]]}}