Skip to content
Vatican Observatory
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
    • FAQ
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Tours
    • Castel Gandolfo
    • U.S.
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
      • FAQs
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
  • Shop
  • Calendar
    • View our Event Calendar
  • Donate
    • Donate Now
    • Smart Ways to Give
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
    • VO in the News
    • Press Kit
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
    • FAQ
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Tours
    • Castel Gandolfo
    • U.S.
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
      • FAQs
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
  • Shop
  • Calendar
    • View our Event Calendar
  • Donate
    • Donate Now
    • Smart Ways to Give
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
    • VO in the News
    • Press Kit
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact

Jesuit Astronomer Pedro Pablo Cartaya Gonzalez-Llorente, SJ Gets An Asteroid Named After Him

By Robert Trembley  |  26 Dec 2023  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email

Rev. Pedro Pablo Cartaya Gonzalez-Llorente, SJ is Jesuit Astronomer with a long history of public outreach; he is the managing director of the Fr. Benito Vieñes, SJ Observatory for astronomy and meteorology located at the Belen Jesuit Preparatory School in Miami, Florida. The observatory has 11 telescopes and is the only school in the United States with a 16″ telescope with a CCD. The observatory hosts astronomy events such as an annual gala where guests can learn about the solar system.

Rev. Cartaya got an asteroid named after him – the citation appears in the the IAU’s WGSBN Bulletin dated Dec. 19, 2023:

Asteroid Citation

(623031) Cartaya = 2015 GP61
Discovery: 2015-03-28 / K. Černis, R. P. Boyle * / Mount Graham / 290

Pedro Pablo Cartaya Gonzalez-Llorente, SJ, (b. 1936) is a Cuban-American astronomer.  He is managing director of the Belen Observatory at the Belen Jesuit School in Miami, a high school observatory with 22 telescopes, whose alumni include a number of scientists and engineers active in the field of space science.

Citation source: https://www.wgsbn-iau.org/files/Bulletins/V003/WGSBNBull_V003_017.pdf

Asteroid Orbit

(623031) Cartaya
Orbit of Asteroid (623031) Cartaya. Credit: JPL Small Body Database

Asteroid (623031) Cartaya was discovered on 2015-03-28; it orbits within the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, with a period of 3.9 years, and a slight inclination of 1.84° to the ecliptic plane.

JPL Small Body Database entry: https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html#/?sstr=2015%20GP61


Comments from Rev. Cartaya

My first experience with astronomy started when I was 13 years old in 1948. I knew of a shooting stars that particular night in Havana, Cuba. At that time I was an student in the Jesuit High school, Colegio de Belen, I asked permission of my Director of the school to spend the whole night on the roof the school to count the possible meteors. After many hours seen nothing i Was about to quit, but I decided to stay because it was my purpose.

My reward was enormous; at 3:30 am in the morning I saw the most spectacular meteor I have seen in my life. I was overwhelmed in the midst of that darkness and solitude of the night, but my enthusiasm for astronomy started that very moment. Today, after 75 years elapsed from that event, I have dedicated my life, apart of my priestly obligations and responsibilities, to the study, observations and teaching Astronomy.

I visited several observatories in California, Wisconsin, Tucson, Puerto Rico, Spain. I founded two observatories: one in Miami, Florida, another in Dominican Republic. I participated in the UNESCO Convention, in Dominican Republic, I organized two excursions to total and partial Sun eclipses, I contributed with an experiment about DNA molecules with my Astronomy students of my school in NASA during the Spacecraft Discovery in 1998, and have been teaching astronomy lectures every Tuesdays to the members of Astronomy Club of my school during the last 25 years.

Now, with this unexpected Asteroid dedication, my enthusiasm for Astronomy will be redoubled, as a priest, for the glory of God, the progress of Science and the benefit of the humanity!

“Father Cartaya always setting an example of the perfect combination of excellence and passion!”

Facebook comments to picture

Image: The Belen Jesuit Observatory and Fr. Pedro Cartaya ‘54 hosted a viewing of the “Christmas Star,” the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn – Dec. 21, 2020. Credit: Belen Jesuit Preparatory School on Facebook


Belen Jesuit Preparatory School Tribute Video

Additional Reading

Celebrating 20 Years of the Belen Observatory – post by Gustavo Roig 2018-04-26

Father Benito Viñes: The 19th-Century Life and Contributions of a Cuban Hurricane Observer and Scientist – Book by Ramos Guadalupe, Luis Enrique, 2014

Jesuit priest, longtime astronomy fan, reflects on Apollo 11 anniversary – post on Crux by Cristina Cabrera Jarro, 2019-07-22

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email

Sacred Space Astronomy

The Vatican Observatory’s official digital community and online magazine.

Become a Member

Recent Posts

Corkscrew Prom

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  21 May 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

From the Vatican Observatory Faith and Science pages (Younger Readers) — Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas

By Faith and Science  |  21 May 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Nuns Helped Map Close To Half A Million Stars In The Early 20th Century After The Vatican Recruited Them

Chip Chick  |  20 May 2025  |  Press

Visit of Br. Guy Consolmagno S.J.

Pluscarden Abbey  |  19 May 2025  |  Press

Archives

      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • August
      • June
      • March
      • January
      • November
      • October
      • December
      • November
      • April
      • May
      • January
      • December
      • September
      • May
      • March
      • December
      • November
      • February

More Posts by
Robert Trembley

Nuns Helped Map Close To Half A Million Stars In The Early 20th Century After The Vatican Recruited Them

Chip Chick  |  20 May 2025  |  Press

Visit of Br. Guy Consolmagno S.J.

Pluscarden Abbey  |  19 May 2025  |  Press

Ellerman Bomb

By Robert Trembley  |  11 May 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

ⓜ Full Moon-th Meetup with Bob Trembley – May 12, 2025

By Robert Trembley  |  9 May 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

How to Pray with the Stars with Br. Guy Consolmagno, SJ – AMDG Podcast

By Robert Trembley  |  7 May 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Vatican astronomer visits Mount St Mary’s College

Independent Catholic News  |  7 May 2025  |  Press

View More

Newsletter

Upcoming astronomical events, scientific breakthroughs, philosophical reflections… just a few reasons to subscribe to our newsletter!

Vatican Observatory
  • About
  • Telescopes
  • Tours
  • Latest
  • Podcast
  • Education
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Donate
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
Privacy Policy  |   Cookie Policy  |   Disclosure Statement  |   This website is supported by the Vatican Observatory Foundation

Podcast:

  • Apple Podcasts Listen onApple Podcasts
  • Spotify Listen onSpotify
  • Google Podcasts Listen onGoogle Podcasts
  • Stitcher Listen onStitcher
  • Amazon Alexa Listen onAmazon Alexa
  • TuneIn Listen onTuneIn
Made by Longbeard