"We saw his star in the east". On the feast of Epiphany, Fr James Hanvey SJ travels to the Pope's summer palace outside Rome, home to the Vatican Space Observatory, to explore how God can speak through space and science. Preacher: Dr Guy Consolmagno SJ, Chair of the Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society and planetary scientist at the Vatican Observatory.

First heard in 2008
Producer Mark O'Brien.

Vatican Observatory promotes scientific dialogue in South America. The Vatican Observatory, along with the Catholic University of America and other Catholic Universities, will gather students, professors, and colleagues next week in Rio de Janeiro to discuss and present their astronomical research projects.

John Paul II on the relationship between the natural sciences and religious belief: five key discourses

INTERS - Interdisciplinary Encyclopedia of Religion and Science
George V. Coyne, S.J., 2011

It is approaching Christmas, so watchers of the statue of Padre Kino on Kino Boulevard in Tucson will be looking for the red earmuffs. These have been appearing on the horse’s ears as a kindly seasonal gesture against the desert night’s cold. Further along the left side of the horse, resting on Kino’s saddlebag, you will notice a round instrument with what looks like a cross spanning its diameter. This is an astrolabe, or an earlier version of a sextant, and it was used for measuring the positions of celestial objects.

A 1300-page final report for the International Year of Astronomy 2009 was released at the European Week of Astronomy and Space Science in Lisbon, Portugal. The report shows that at least 815 million people in 148 countries participated in the world’s largest science event in decades.

Download the report via website of Beyond IYA 2009 > IYA 2009 Final Report