Vatican Observatory
The Vatican Observatory (Specola Vaticana) is the astronomical research and educational institution of the Holy See. The headquarters of the observatory are located at Castel Gandolfo, Italy, sharing the summer residence of the Pope. The dependent Vatican Observatory Research Group is hosted in the Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona. Its current director is José Gabriel Funes.
The Observatory operates a 1.8 metre telescope atop Mount Graham near Safford, Arizona, USA, which together with its associated research facility is known as VATT (Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope), whose mirror was the first one constructed at the Steward Observatory Mirror Lab.
In early 2008, it was announced that the Castel Gandolfo observatory was to be moved, in order to provide more room for the Pope to receive diplomats at his summer residence. The observatory will be moved to a former convent a mile away from the castle.[1]
History
The official astronomical observatory of the Vatican, in Italian Osservatorio Pontificio, Father Angelo Secchi relocated the observatory to the top of the Church of St. Ignatius in Rome.
To generations of Romans, the Vatican Observatory provided the time of day, but under Father Secchi the Observatory was a source of great contributions to astronomy during the latter half of the 19th century. In particular, Father Secchi was fascinated by the study of the sun.
After the death of Father Secchi in 1878, his successor was removed from the Observatory, and its name was changed to Regio Osservatorio al Collegio Roman, or Royal Observatory at the Roman College. The Observatory remained in operation until 1923. It was reopened in the 1930s,[2] and its home page is listed below.
References
- ^ Peter Popham (2008-01-04). "Science bows to theology as the Pope dismantles Vatican observatory". The Independent. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ History of the Vatican Observatory - Page 2