Scientists, philanthropists and the Catholic Church promoting scientific research of the heavens through the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope, and public engagement through presentations, social media, and educational outreach programs.
Why is there a Vatican Observatory? When did it start? What is the Vatican Observatory Foundation?
Vatican astronomers can help answer some basic human questions, like: Why are we here? Where did we come from? Are there others out there? Hear about the observatory, the telescope and our projects directly from those involved. Understand who we are, what we do and why we exist.
2019 VOF Rome Tour
Under the Leadership of Br. Guy Consolmagno, S.J.
March 17-24, 2019
March 17 (Sunday): Rome arrival
Mar. 18: Rome / Transfer to Castel Gandolfo
Mar. 19: Castel Gandolfo: Monte Porzio & San Nilo
Mar. 20: Castel Gandolfo: Papal Summer Villa/ La Specola / Albano
Mar. 21: Castel Gandolfo / Monte Mario / Vatican
Mar. 22: Rome : Jesuit Rome & St. John Lateran Excavations
Mar. 23: Rome : Leisure Day & Farewell Dinner
Mar. 24: Departures
2019 Rome Tour Home Page 2019 Rome Trip Application Form with Terms, Conditions, and Pricing (PDF)
Interviews with Students from the 2018 Vatican Observatory Summer School
In this video, students from the 2018 Vatican Observatory Summer School discuss how excited they are to participate in the program. Br. Guy Consolmagno explains how the VOSS got started, and how wonderful it is to have so many exceptional students attend the summer school program.
2018 Annual Seminar in Tucson, Arizona
February 23, 2018
SS. Peter and Paul Catholic School, 1436 N. Campbell Avenue
Educational Outreach
2018 Vatican Observatory Summer School in Astrophysics
The VOSS 2018 will train the next generation of researchers on the marvels of big data, time domain astrophysics, and variability surveys. We are building an exciting programme that links variable stars with photometric and spectroscopic surveys, and then gives an overview concerning the impact that stellar astrophysics has on current astrophysical and cosmological open problems.
MAIN THEMES
- Theory of stellar pulsation and evolution: pulsation and evolutionary properties of radial variables (RR Lyrae; classical, type II, anomalous Cepheids; SX Phoenicis).
- Stellar kinematics: radial velocities and proper motions.
- Variable star searches in large databases: Current statistics, sample biases, variability detection, period search techniques, variable star classification,
- Variables as stellar population tracers: pulsating stars vs eclipsing binaries. Distance indicators (RR Lyse, Cepheids, Miras and LPVs), Rare variability: Microlensing and Transients.
- Current and future large astronomical databases: 2MASS, Gaia, VVV, OGLE, Kepler, GLIMPSE, WISE, WFIRST, LSST, SDSS, TESS, PLATO, EUCLID, PS2.
2016 Vatican Observatory Summer School
Twenty-three students representing 19 countries and the faculty of the 2016 Vatican Observatory Summer School meet and greet Pope Francis while studying Water in the Universe.