Join Br. Guy Consolmagno, SJ and a few students from the 2023 Vatican Observatory Summer School. We'll discuss what brought them to Italy, what they've enjoyed most so far (besides the food) and what they hope to achieve in the future.
Venus and Mars are Alright Tonight! There is a conjunction of Venus, Mars and the star Regulus in the western sky after sunset on July 5th.
The Delta Aquariids are active beginning in mid-July and are visible until late-August. These faint meteors are difficult to spot, and if there is a moon you will not be able to view them. If the moon is not present, your best chance to see the Delta Aquariids is when meteor rates rise during the […]
Br. Guy gives a talk at Mount Wilson Observatory, Saturday, Aug 26, followed by stargazing through huge telescopes!
Br. Guy gives the inaugural Amelia Earhart Lecture on Adventure and Exploration at the LA Central Library's Mark Taper Auditorium, Sunday, Aug 27
Bob Trembley will give an online talk about exoplanets for the Detroit Public Library
Share an evening with Br. Guy Consolmagno as he discusses a couple of his books at the Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos - September 6, 2023
Michigan's Largest Free Astronomy Event - 27th Year! This is an in-person event, with live telescope viewing starting at 4:00 PM with solar observing, and going till midnight with several telescopes on the field. Learn about astronomy, space science and imaging technology. Educators have given extra credit to students attending our in-person event in the […]
The first asteroid sample collected in space by NASA will arrive on Earth Sunday, Sept. 24, and there are multiple events leading up to its landing. NASA’s live coverage of the OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security – Regolith Explorer) capsule landing starts at 10 a.m. EDT (8 a.m. MDT) and will air on NASA TV, […]
Join us Sept. 29—Oct. 2, 2023 in Tucson, AZ for events celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope
Brother Guy speaks at the Mystical Rose Oratory, Chaminade University. Sunday, October 8, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Mark your calendar for October 25 at 6:00pm for a dialogue on faith and science featuring: Brother Guy Consolmagno, S.J., Director of the Vatican Observatory Dr. Peter Saulson, Professor Emeritus of Physics, Syracuse University. Jewish-Catholic Theological Exchange at Providence College 1 Cunningham Square Providence, RI 02918 Email: jcte@providence.edu Website: jewish-catholic.providence.edu Twitter: @JewsCatholicsPC
A partial lunar eclipse will take place on this day - it will be completely visible over Europe and most of Asia and Africa.
Br. Guy Consolmagno, S.J. discusses the worldwide outreach done by the Vatican Observatory, and the advanced astronomical being done by Adjunct Scholars and Jesuit scientists on staff. There will be a 45 minute program, with some informal remarks from Br. Guy, followed by a Q&A and stargazing if the sky is clear. Please Register here […]
The planet Venus appears 1.0° south of the Moon on this date. Closest approach is at 3:38 AM ET in the eastern sky
Uranus will be in opposition to the Sun on this date; this is when the Earth is positioned between the Sun and Uranus.
Philosophy is the study of the nature of reality and existence, of what is possible to know, and of right and wrong behavior. It comes from the Greek word phílosophía, meaning 'the love of wisdom.' It is one of the most important fields of human thought as it aspires to get at the very meaning of […]
Active from November 3rd to December 2nd, peaks Nov 17-18th
The Moon is at Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) – rising around midnight, and visible to the south after sunrise.
The Moon is at First quarter on this date -it will be visible high in the southern sky in early evening.
The star Spica will appear 2.0°S of Moon on this date.
The March equinox marks the beginning of astronomical spring and the end of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
Holy Thursday is the commemoration of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, when he established the sacrament of Holy Communion prior to his arrest and crucifixion. It also commemorates His institution of the priesthood. The holy day falls on the Thursday before Easter and is part of Holy Week. Jesus celebrated the dinner as a […]
Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Holy and Great Friday), and Black Friday. - Wikipedia
The "Great American Eclipse" occurs on this date - don't miss it!
When we think that following science is a sure way to get to all the right answers, we misunderstand the nature and history of science
Br. Guy discusses what he does as a Vatican Astronomer
The Eta Aquariids are a strong shower when viewed from the southern tropics. From the equator northward, they usually only produce medium rates of 10-30 per hour just before dawn. Activity is good for a week centered the night of maximum activity. These are swift meteors that produce a high percentage of persistent trains, but […]
On this day, Mars it closest to the Sun in its orbit.
The Ascension Day of Jesus Christ always falls on a Thursday - it is the day when Christians celebrate the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven as recorded in the Bible.
Mercury will reach its greatest separation from the Sun on this date.
Mother's Day in the United States is an annual holiday celebrated on the second Sunday in May. Mother's Day recognizes mothers, motherhood and maternal bonds in general, as well as the positive contributions that they make to society. It was established by Anna Jarvis, with the first official Mother's Day celebrated through a service of worship at St. Andrew's Methodist […]
Uranus will pass close to the Sun in the sky as its orbit carries it around the far side of the solar system from the Earth.
World Metrology Day is an annual celebration of the signature of the Metre Convention on 20 May 1875 by representatives of seventeen nations. The Convention set the framework for global collaboration in the science of measurement and in its industrial, commercial and societal applications. The original aim of the Metre Convention - the world-wide uniformity […]
Towel Day is an annual celebration on the 25th of May, as a tribute to the late author Douglas Adams (1952-2001). On that day, fans around the universe carry a towel in his honor. Towel Day 2021 marks the 43rd anniversary of the first BBC broadcast of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (1978).
Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day 2021 will occur on Monday, May 31. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday […]
In April 2018, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 3 as International World Bicycle Day. The resolution for World Bicycle Day recognizes "the uniqueness, longevity and versatility of the bicycle, which has been in use for two centuries, and that it is a simple, affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transport." Read More: https://www.un.org/en/observances/bicycle-day https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Bicycle_Day
Charles Babbage (1791-1871), computer pioneer, designed two classes of engine, Difference Engines, and Analytical Engines. Difference engines are so called because of the mathematical principle on which they are based, namely, the method of finite differences. The beauty of the method is that it uses only arithmetical addition and removes the need for multiplication and […]
The summer solstice is the day when the Sun appears to reach its highest point in the sky during the year - it marks the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
International Asteroid Day is a United Nations-recognized day observed each year on the anniversary of the Tunguska impact event of June 30, 1908.
Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada) is the national day of Canada. A federal statutory holiday, it celebrates the anniversary of July 1, 1867, the effective date of the Constitution Act, 1867 (then called the British North America Act, 1867), which united the three separate colonies of the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick into a single Dominion within the British Empire […]
Thomas Harriot was an English astronomer, mathematician, ethnographer and translator who made advances within the scientific field. Thomas Harriot was recognized for his contributions in astronomy, mathematics, and navigational techniques. Harriot worked closely with John White to create advanced maps for navigation. While Harriot worked extensively on numerous papers on the subjects of astronomy, mathematics and navigation, the amount of work that he actually […]
Independence Day is a U.S. federal holiday commemorating the Declaration of Independence of the United States, on July 4, 1776.
Mars Pathfinder was launched December 4, 1996 and landed on Mars' Ares Vallis on July 4, 1997.
Earth will be at the farthest point in its orbit around the Sun on this date
Mercury will appear close to the crescent Moon in the west-northwestern sky before sunset.
Thomas Samuel Kuhn (1922–1996) is one of the most influential philosophers of science of the twentieth century,
Gregor Johann Mendel (1822– 1884) was a biologist, meteorologist, mathematician, Augustinian friar and abbot of St. Thomas' Abbey in Brünn (Brno), Margraviate of Moravia.
Ignatius of Loyola (Basque: Ignazio Loiolakoa; Spanish: Ignacio de Loyola; Latin: Ignatius de Loyola; c. 23 October 1491 – 31 July 1556) was a Spanish Basque Catholic priest and theologian, who co-founded the religious order called the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and became its first Superior General at Paris in 1541. The Jesuit order served the Pope as missionaries, and they were bound by a vow of special obedience to the sovereign pontiff in […]
Join VOF emeritus Board member James Renn for a discussion about the history of the Vatican Observatory at the Franciscan Renewal Center (The Casa)
The liturgical celebration of St Dominic is on August 6 which is his deathday, in 1221 - his birthday is August 8.
Many sources state that St Dominic is the patron saint of astronomy and astronomers.
The Perseids are the most popular meteor shower as they peak on warm August nights as seen from the northern hemisphere. The Perseids are active from July 17 to August 24, peaking on August 12 - 13.
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is, according to the beliefs of numerous Churches, the bodily taking up of Mary, the mother of Jesus, into Heaven at the end of her earthly life. The analogous feast in the Eastern Churches is known as the Dormition of the Theotokos. In the churches that observe it, the Assumption is a major feast day, commonly celebrated on 15 […]
Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September in any given year (i.e. a single day from September 1 through September 7) to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States. It is the Monday of the long weekend known as Labor Day Weekend. - […]
Frank Donald Drake (May 28, 1930 – September 2, 2022) was an American astronomer and astrophysicist. He was involved in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, including the founding of SETI.
Fall begins with the autumnal equinox - in the Northern Hemisphere, it's the September equinox; in the Southern Hemisphere, it is the equinox in March.
At the invitation of the Holy Father Pope Francis, ”Rome, Saint John Lateran, 11 February 2022, Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes” we call upon the Confraternities of the whole world, especially Marian sodalities of the Holy Rosary, as well as Marian Congregations, Sanctuaries, Parishes and all Marian and Rosary prayer groups, Worldpriest […]
A comet. called a sungrazer, is passing VERY close to the Sun - right now!
Saturn will pass within 0.1° of Saturn on this date.
The Cassini mission to Saturn is one of the most ambitious efforts in planetary space exploration ever mounted. A joint endeavor of NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), Cassini is a sophisticated robotic spacecraft orbiting the ringed planet and studying the Saturnian system in detail. Cassini […]
Br. Guy Consolmagno presents the concept of God as Creator is not tied to any particular cosmology, but has endured even as our scientific cosmologies have radically changed. The traditional Christian understanding of God is not merely as some force within nature, operating alongside gravity or electromagnetism at ‘time zero’ to start a universe. Rather, […]
Br. Guy Consolmagno to speak at Faith AND Science workshop at the MAPS Air Museum
Celebrated every 10 November, World Science Day for Peace and Development highlights the significant role of science in society and the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging scientific issues. It also underlines the importance and relevance of science in our daily lives. By linking science more closely with society, World Science […]
Active from October 13th to December 2nd, 2021, peaks Nov 11-12th
Spend an evening with Br. Guy Consolmagno, SJ - Director of the Vatican Observatory 6PM Thursday Nov. 14, 2024 Cosponsored by Saint Ignatius College Prep and the Lumen Christi Institute Tully Hall - Saint Ignatius College Prep 1076 W. Roosevelt Road Chicago IL 60608-1594 RSVP to Christopher Kennedy: c.kennedy@vaticanobservatory.org
Albertus Magnus , also known as Saint Albert the Great was born on this date in 1206
Br. Guy Consolmagno to give the 2024 Von Hügel Lecture at St Edmund's College
Please help support our yearly outreach - giving astrophoto calendars to prison inmates.
Our Lady of Guadalupe (Spanish: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe), also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe (Spanish: Virgen de Guadalupe), is a Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with a series of five Marian apparitions in December 1531, and a venerated image on a cloak enshrined within the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. The basilica is the most visited Catholic pilgrimage […]
Saint Lucy's Day, also called Lucia Day or the feast of Saint Lucy, is a Christian feast day observed on 13 December. The observance commemorates Lucia of Syracuse, an early-4th-century virgin martyr under the Diocletianic Persecution, who according to legend brought food and aid to Christians hiding in the Roman catacombs, wearing a candlelit wreath on her head to light her way and leave her hands free […]
The winter solstice, also called the hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun.
The Ursids peak just before Christmas with rates of 5-10 meteors per hour during the late morning hours.
Christmas Eve is on December 24 and marks the culmination of the Advent period before Christmas that starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Eve. Many churches mark the end of Advent with midnight church services. During modern times, it is popularly celebrated on the night before Christmas Day. - National Today
The Quadrantids have the potential to be the strongest shower of the year but usually fall short due to the short length of maximum activity (6 hours) and the poor weather experienced during early January. The average hourly rate is 25 meteors per hour.
Earth will be at the closest point in its orbit around the Sun on this date - 91,403,034 miles.
Epiphany also known as Theophany in the east, is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation (theophany) of God incarnate as Jesus Christ. Articles about the Feast of the Epiphany on the VO Faith and Science Archive.
Mercury's 88-day orbit around the Sun will carry it to its furthest point to the Sun – its aphelion – at a distance of 0.47 AU.
"Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. Born in Atlanta, King is best known for advancing civil rights through nonviolence and civil disobedience, tactics his Christian beliefs and the nonviolent activism of Mahatma Gandhi helped inspire." - Wikipedia
The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27—the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau—as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this annual day of commemoration, the UN urges every member state to honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazism and to develop educational programs to help prevent future genocides. […]
Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, OM FRS (/ˈrʌsəl/; 18 May 1872 – 2 February 1970) was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, writer, essayist, social critic, political activist, and Nobel laureate. At various points in his life, Russell considered himself a liberal, a socialistand a pacifist, although he also confessed that his sceptical nature had led him to feel that he had "never […]
A celebration in honor of Br. Guy's newest book, a Jesuit's Guide to the Stars
James Renn, a member of the Vatican Observatory Foundation's Council of Advisors will be giving this talk at the Holland Center in Scottsdale, AZ, Tue., Feb. 4, at 6 pm
Saint Valentine was a widely recognized 3rd-century Roman saint, commemorated in Christianity on February 14. From the High Middle Ages his Saints’ Day is associated with a tradition of courtly love. – Wikipedia
On February 15 2013 an asteroid exploded in the sky over the city of Chelyabinsk, in the the southern Ural region of Russia. The shock wave blew out windows all over the city, injuring over 1600 people, and damaged several buildings.
The planet Venus is a Perihelion (its closest approach to the Sun) on this date.
Sir James Dewar FRS FRSE (20 September 1842 – 27 March 1923) was a British chemist and physicist. He is best known for his invention of the vacuum flask, which he used in conjunction with research into the liquefaction of gases. He also studied atomic and molecular spectroscopy, working in these fields for more than 25 years. - Wikipedia
Val Logsdon Fitch (March 10, 1923 – February 5, 2015) was an American nuclear physicist who, with co-researcher James Cronin, was awarded the 1980 Nobel Prize in Physics for a 1964 experiment using the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron at Brookhaven National Laboratory that proved that certain subatomic reactions do not adhere to fundamental symmetry principles. Specifically, they proved, by examining the decay of K-mesons, that a reaction run in […]
The Moon will pass into Earth’s shadow and appear to turn red on the night of March 13 or early in the morning on March 14.
Eusebio Francisco Kino, SJ (Italian: Eusebio Francesco Chini, Spanish: Eusebio Francisco Kino; 10 August 1645 – 15 March 1711), often referred to as Father Kino, was a Tyrolean Jesuit, missionary, geographer, explorer, cartographer and astronomer born in the Territory of the Bishopric of Trent, then part of the Holy Roman Empire. For the last 24 years of his life he worked in the region then known as the Pimería Alta, modern-day Sonora in Mexico and southern Arizona in the United […]
Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig, lit. 'the Day of the Festival of Patrick'), is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (c. 385 – c. 461), the foremost patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick's Day was made an official Christian feast day in the early 17th century and is observed by the Catholic Church, […]
Saint Joseph's Day, also called the Feast of Saint Joseph or the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, is in Western Christianity the principal feast day of Saint Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary and legal father of Jesus Christ, celebrated on 19 March. It has the rank of a solemnity in the Catholic Church. It is a feast or commemoration in the provinces of the Anglican Communion, and a feast or festival in the Lutheran Church. Saint […]
The World Meteorological Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations, based in Geneva. It "is dedicated to international cooperation and coordination on the state and behaviour of the Earth’s atmosphere, its interaction with the land and oceans, the weather and climate it produces, and the resulting distribution of water resources." The World Meteorological […]
Christopher Clavius, SJ (25 March 1538 – 6 February 1612) was a Jesuit German mathematician, head of mathematicians at the Collegio Romano, and astronomer who was a member of the Vatican commission that accepted the proposed calendar invented by Aloysius Lilius, that is known as the Gregorian calendar. Clavius would later write defences and an explanation of the reformed calendar, including an emphatic […]
Tullio Levi-Civita, ForMemRS (English: /ˈtʊlioʊ ˈlɛvi ˈtʃɪvɪtə/, Italian: ; 29 March 1873 – 29 December 1941) was an Italian mathematician, most famous for his work on absolute differential calculus (tensor calculus) and its applications to the theory of relativity, but who also made significant contributions in other areas. He was a pupil of Gregorio Ricci-Curbastro, the inventor of tensor calculus. His work included foundational papers in both pure and applied […]
Francesco Zantedeschi (August 20, 1797 – March 29, 1873) was an Italian Catholic priest and physicist. A native of Dolcè, near Verona, Zantedeschi was for some time professor of physics and philosophy in the Liceo of Venice. Later he accepted the chair of physics in the University of Padua, which he held until 1853 being then obliged to resign on account of failing sight. He was an […]
Join Brother Guy Consolmagno, Director of the Vatican Observatory, on Saturday, March 29th, for a day of discovery as we explore how to find God in the universe.
Cesar Chavez (born César Estrada Chávez, locally ; March 31, 1927 – April 23, 1993) was an American labor leader and Latino American civil rights activist. Along with Dolores Huerta, he co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, later renamed the United Farm Workers (UFW) union. - Wikipedia
April Fools' Day or April Fool's Day (sometimes called All Fools' Day) is an annual celebration on April 1, commemorated by practical jokes and hoaxes. The player(s) of the joke(s) or hoax(es) often exposes their action by shouting "April fool(s)" at the recipient(s). The recipient of these actions are called April fools. Mass media can be involved in these pranks that the following […]
Astronomers Without Borders brings the world together to share our passion of astronomy and the wonders of the Universe.
Spend an evening with Br. Guy Consolmagno - Director of the Vatican Observatory, and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation. Br. Guy will discuss his new book A Jesuit's Guide to the Stars, and the many threads of Faith and Science that the Vatican Observatory staff weaves into a tapestry of public outreach and education. […]
Br. Guy Consolmagno will lead this retreat which will explore the close connection between Ignatian spirituality and astronomy.
The General Assembly, in its resolution A/RES/65/271 of 7 April 2011, declared 12 April as the International Day of Human Space Flight “to celebrate each year at the international level the beginning of the space era for mankind, reaffirming the important contribution of space science and technology in achieving sustainable development goals and increasing the well-being of […]
The Full Moon rises at sunset, and is visible all night. The Vatican Observatory's monthly Full Moon Meetup for Sacred Space Astronomy subscribers is held at 10:00 AM Tucson time.
Mars will be at the farthest point in its orbit around the Sun on this date - 154,425,919.9 miles.
Illustration from the Bibliographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, 1945. The Royal Society, London. Sir John Ambrose Fleming FRS died in 1945, aged 95 (born 29 November 1849). "He was an English electrical engineer and physicist who invented the first thermionic valve or vacuum tube, designed the radio transmitter with which the first […]
The Moon is at Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) – rising around midnight, and visible to the south after sunrise.
The Moon is at Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) – rising around midnight, and visible to the south after sunrise.
First held in 1970, Earth Day is held annually on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
Peak: ~Apr 21-22, 2020 The Lyrids are a medium strength shower that usually produces good rates for three nights centered on the maximum. These meteors also usually lack persistent trains but can produce fireballs. These meteors are best seen from the northern hemisphere where the radiant is high in the sky at dawn. Activity from […]
On Girls in ICT Day– marked annually on the fourth Thursday in April – the United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is highlighting the need to promote technology career opportunities for girls and women in the world's fastest growing sector.
Curious about God, the cosmos and you?You can ask the Pope’s astronomer!Come with your curiosity and questions to hear Brother Guy Consolmagno, SJ, 7:00 pm, Thursday, April 24, 2025, at Saint Thomas More Catholic ChurchIn his new book, A Jesuit Guide to the Stars, Brother Guy Consolmagno, SJ, asks, “Do we need to know about the […]
An explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986 spread a radioactive cloud over large parts of the Soviet Union; millions of people in the three countries were exposed to the radiation.
New Moon. By the modern definition, New Moon occurs when the Moon and Sun are at the same geocentric ecliptic longitude. The part of the Moon facing us is completely in shadow then. Pictured here is the traditional New Moon, the earliest visible waxing crescent, which signals the start of a new month in many […]
The World Day for Safety and Health at Work will focus on addressing the outbreak of infectious diseases at work, in particular, on the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Moon is at First quarter on this date -it will be visible high in the southern sky in early evening.
Mother's Day in the United States is an annual holiday celebrated on the second Sunday in May. Mother's Day recognizes mothers, motherhood and maternal bonds in general, as well as the positive contributions that they make to society. It was established by Anna Jarvis, with the first official Mother's Day celebrated through a service of worship at St. Andrew's Methodist […]
