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Specola Guestbook | September 16, 1934: Pope Pius XI

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on February 21, 2021 by Robert MackeFebruary 21, 2021
This entry is part 82 of 82 in the series Specola Guestbook

Since its founding in 1891, many people have passed through the doors of the Vatican Observatory.  A quick perusal of our guestbook reveals several Names, including Popes, Nobel laureates, astronauts, actors, and saints. Today’s guestbook entry is not technically from the guest book.  It is from a separate parchment reserved for Popes on their first official visit to the Specola. This tradition was begun when the Vatican Observatory was relocated from within Vatican City out to the Pontifical summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, about 25 km outside of Rome. On September 16, 1934, Pope Pius XI made a visit. Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti (1857-1939) was elected Pope in 1922 and took the name Pius.  Prior to his elevation to the Papacy, he was the cardinal archbishop of Milan. In 1929, he and the Italian leader Benito Mussolini signed the Lateran Treaty, in which the nation of Italy formally recognized the Vatican as an independent sovereignty.  As part of this act, … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, History, Uncategorized | Tagged Castel Gandolfo, Pius XI, Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Specola Guestbook, Vatican Observatory | Leave a reply

Specola Guestbook | January 15, 1925: Luigi Carnera

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on February 14, 2021 by Robert MackeJanuary 22, 2021
This entry is part 81 of 82 in the series Specola Guestbook

Since its founding in 1891, many people have passed through the doors of the Vatican Observatory.  A quick perusal of our guestbook reveals several Names, including Popes, Nobel laureates, astronauts, actors, and saints. Today’s guestbook entry is from January 15, 1925, when Luigi Carnera made a visit. Next to his name, Luigi Carnera (1875-1962) wrote, “Trieste – R. Osservatorio astronomico” He was accompanied on the visit by Vincenzo Cerulli, Azeglio Bemporad, and Emilio Bianchi, all of whom made at least one previous visit. [Note: Curiously, Bianchi was the first person to sign the book after a gap between 1915-1920. Here, he is the last person to sign the book before another mysterious gap between 1925 and 1934.] Carnera was the director of the Trieste Observatory from 1919 until 1932. He then was named director of the Capodimonte Observatory, a post he held until 1950. Much of Carnera’s astronomical involved the discovery of asteroids.  He discovered 16 of them. The asteroid … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, History, Uncategorized | Tagged Asteroids, Capodimonte, Carnera, Specola Guestbook, Trieste, Vatican Observatory | Leave a reply

Specola Guestbook | December 17, 1924: Elizabeth Wight

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on February 7, 2021 by Robert MackeJanuary 22, 2021
This entry is part 80 of 82 in the series Specola Guestbook

Since its founding in 1891, many people have passed through the doors of the Vatican Observatory.  A quick perusal of our guestbook reveals several Names, including Popes, Nobel laureates, astronauts, actors, and saints. Today’s guestbook entry is from December 17, 1924, when Elizabeth Wight made a visit. Next to her name, Elizabeth von Bescoten Wight (1894-1958) wrote, “Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.A. (Yerkes Observatory)” It is not clear what her connection to Yerkes Observatory might have been at the time of her visit in 1924. She was a law librarian in Milwaukee and avid amateur astronomer. She was a founding member of the Milwaukee Astronomical Society, and served as the first vice-president in 1932, and again ca. 1939-1941. She served as president of the Milwaukee Astronomical Society ca. 1941-1942. To date, she is the only woman to have held that position. She remained active in the organization until at least 1956. She also was editor of the journal Amateur Astronomy, published by … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, History, Uncategorized | Tagged amateur astronomy, Milwaukee Astronomical Society, Specola Guestbook, Vatican Observatory, Wight, Yerkes | Leave a reply

Specola Guestbook | December 10, 1924: José Algué S.J.

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 31, 2021 by Robert MackeJanuary 22, 2021
This entry is part 79 of 82 in the series Specola Guestbook

Since its founding in 1891, many people have passed through the doors of the Vatican Observatory.  A quick perusal of our guestbook reveals several Names, including Popes, Nobel laureates, astronauts, actors, and saints. Today’s guestbook entry is from December 10, 1924, when José Algué made a visit. Next to his name, Fr. José Maria Algué S.J. (1856-1930) wrote, “Manila, Philippine Islands.” Algué was a meteorologist at the Observatory of Manila. He invented several instruments for the meteorological and seismographical observations. Most notable of these is a barocyclonometer, a type of fluidless barometer adapted for the prediction of storms.  He invented this instrument in 1897, and it was adopted by US Navy for use on its North Atlantic fleet in 1914. Algué also invented a nephoscope (for measuring movement and altitude of clouds) and a microseismograph.  

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Posted in History, Priests and Religious of Science | Tagged Algue, Barocyclonometer, Manila Observatory, Meteorology, Specola Guestbook, Vatican Observatory | Leave a reply

Specola Guestbook | September 25, 1983: Leo O’Donovan SJ

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 24, 2021 by Robert MackeJanuary 24, 2021
This entry is part 78 of 82 in the series Specola Guestbook

Since its founding in 1891, many people have passed through the doors of the Vatican Observatory.  A quick perusal of our guestbook reveals several Names, including Popes, Nobel laureates, astronauts, actors, and saints. Once again, we break the chronological sequence to highlight a name relevant to events of this past week. On September 25, 1983 the Observatory was visited by Fr. Leo O’Donovan SJ.   Next to his name, Fr. Leo Jeremiah O’Donovan III SJ (b. 1934) wrote, “Weston School of Theology, Cambridge, MA” He was accompanied on the visit by Fr. Joseph Whelan SJ (1933-1994) and Fr. James A. Devereux SJ (1928-2011), both former Provincials of the Maryland Province of the Jesuits. O’Donovan received his Ph.D. in theology in 1971 at the University of Münster, studying under Karl Rahner SJ (who also made a visit in 1975).  He taught at Woodstock College from 1971-1974, and from 1974-1985 was professor of theology at the Weston School of Theology. O’Donovan was … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Popular Culture | Tagged Georgetown, Inauguration, O'Donovan, Specola Guestbook, Vatican Observatory, Weston | Leave a reply

Specola Guestbook | June 16, 1924: Knut Lundmark and Sten Asklöf

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 10, 2021 by Robert MackeJanuary 4, 2021
This entry is part 76 of 82 in the series Specola Guestbook

Since its founding in 1891, many people have passed through the doors of the Vatican Observatory.  A quick perusal of our guestbook reveals several Names, including Popes, Nobel laureates, astronauts, actors, and saints. Today’s guestbook entry is from June 16, 1924, when Knut Lundmark and Sten Asklöf made a visit. Next to his name, Knut Emil Lundmark (1889-1958) wrote, “Ph.D., Upsala, Sweden.” He had completed his Ph.D. at Uppsala in 1920 and subsequently worked at the Lick and Mount Wilson observatoies. In 1929 he became director of the observatory at Lund University in Lund, Sweden. Lundmark’s scientific work was primarily concerned with galaxies.  He measured the distance to the Andromeda Galaxy in 1919 using  novae as standard candles. [Note: while certain types of supernovae function well as standard candles, novae in general vary in maximum brightness and do not serve the purpose well.] He measured a distance of about 650,000 ly (compared to the modern value of 2.5 million ly), which … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, History, Uncategorized | Tagged Andromeda, Asklof, galaxies, Lundmark, Specola Guestbook, Uppsala, Vatican Observatory | Leave a reply

Specola Guestbook | October 17, 1923: Julien Péridier

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 3, 2021 by Robert MackeJanuary 3, 2021
This entry is part 75 of 82 in the series Specola Guestbook

Since its founding in 1891, many people have passed through the doors of the Vatican Observatory.  A quick perusal of our guestbook reveals several Names, including Popes, Nobel laureates, astronauts, actors, and saints. Today’s guestbook entry is from October 17, 1923, when Julien Péridier made a visit. Next to his name, Julien Péridier F.R.A.S. (1882-1967) wrote, “Ingénieur E.C.P. 16 Rue Cassette, Paris [apt] K.”  (E.C.P. is probably “École Centrale Paris,” where Péridier studied.) Péridier was an electrical engineer who worked primarily on public transportation systems in Paris. He was also an avid amateur astronomer. In 1933, he would found an observatory at Le Houga. After his death, he willed the instruments from the observatory and his library to the McDonald Observatory (University of Texas). In 1959 the Le Houga observatory was in a prime location to observe the occultation of the star Regulus by the planet Venus.  Using photoelectric photometry equipment, the team were able to produce a good light … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, History | Tagged Le Houga, Peridier, Specola Guestbook, UTexas, Vatican Observatory | Leave a reply

Specola Guestbook | April 18, 1923: T. E. Espin and William Milburn

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on December 20, 2020 by Robert MackeDecember 18, 2020
This entry is part 73 of 82 in the series Specola Guestbook

Since its founding in 1891, many people have passed through the doors of the Vatican Observatory.  A quick perusal of our guestbook reveals several Names, including Popes, Nobel laureates, astronauts, actors, and saints. Today’s guestbook entry is from April 18, 1923, when Thomas Espin and William Milburn made a visit. Next to his name, Reverend Thomas Henry Espinell Compton Espin FRAS (1858-1934) wrote, “Wolsingham Observatory, Tow Law[,] Co. Durham England.” He was an Anglican minister and avid astronomer who established an observatory at Wolsingham in 1885. The observatory was transferred to Tow Law when he became curate there in 1888. His scientific work involved surveying the skies and cataloging variable and double stars.  He surveyed every star below 9th magnitude, which numbered more than 100,000. He discovered thousands of double stars. He was a member of the IAU commission on double stars. He invented several astronomical instruments, including a variable eyepiece and a method for making illuminated markings in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, History, Uncategorized | Tagged Double stars, Espin, Milburn, Specola Guestbook, Tow Law, Vatican Observatory, Wolsingham | Leave a reply

Specola Guestbook | April 12, 1923: Walter and Willoughby Cady

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on December 13, 2020 by Robert MackeDecember 7, 2020
This entry is part 72 of 82 in the series Specola Guestbook

Since its founding in 1891, many people have passed through the doors of the Vatican Observatory.  A quick perusal of our guestbook reveals several Names, including Popes, Nobel laureates, astronauts, actors, and saints. Today’s guestbook entry is from April 12, 1923, when Walter Cady made a visit with his son Willoughby. Next to his name, Walter Guyton Cady (1874-1974) wrote, “Middletown, Conn, U.S.A.” He was an electrical engineer and physicist.  He was a professor oat Wesleyan University in Middletown CT. In 1921, he developed the first quartz crystal oscillator, a piezoelectric device that became the timekeeping basis for quartz clocks and watches. As part of his research, he worked to develop international frequency standards. What was he doing in Rome in 1923?  That year, he was comparing the frequency standards of various countries: England, France, Italy, and the USA.  This apparently involved travel to the respective countries. In 1932 he served as president of the Institute of Radio Engineers. He … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Science, Uncategorized | Tagged Piezoelectric, Radio, Specola Guestbook, Vatican Observatory, Walter Cady, Willoughyb Cady | Leave a reply

Specola Guestbook | March 27, 1923: Arthur Eddington

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on December 6, 2020 by Robert MackeDecember 6, 2020
This entry is part 71 of 82 in the series Specola Guestbook

Since its founding in 1891, many people have passed through the doors of the Vatican Observatory.  A quick perusal of our guestbook reveals several Names, including Popes, Nobel laureates, astronauts, actors, and saints. Today’s guestbook entry is from March 27, 1922, when Sir Arthur Eddington made a visit. Next to his name, Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington OM FRS (1882-1944) wrote, “Observatory, Cambridge.” Eddington was chief assistant to the Astronomer Royal at the Royal Greenwich Observatory from 1906 until 1907, when he won the Smith Prize. He became director of the Cambridge Observatory in 1914. Eddington is perhaps one of the most notable astronomers of his age. In 1919, he and Edwin Cottingham led an expedition to the island of Principe to observe a solar eclipse. Their goal: to measure the apparent shift of the position of stars near the solar disk due to the bending of starlight predicted by Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity.  This experiment is considered one of … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, History, Uncategorized | Tagged Astronomy History, Cambridge, Eddington, Einstein, Relativity, Specola Guestbook, Vatican Observatory | Leave a reply

Specola Guestbook | May 10-13, 1922: IAU 1st General Assembly part 12

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on November 29, 2020 by Robert MackeNovember 23, 2020
This entry is part 70 of 82 in the series Specola Guestbook

Since its founding in 1891, many people have passed through the doors of the Vatican Observatory.  A quick perusal of our guestbook reveals several Names, including Popes, Nobel laureates, astronauts, actors, and saints. For the past few weeks, we have been highlighting visitors who came on the occasion of the first General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union. We have finally reached the last installment related to this event. Today’s visitors came between May 10 and 13, 1922. They are: Sotero Prieto, Joseph Baldwin, Paul Stroobant, Albertus Nijland, Hendrik Jan Heuvelink, and Count de la Baume Pluvinel. That red line underneath de la Baume Pluvinel indicates the end of visits related to the IAU meeting. Sotero Prieto Next to his name, Sotero Prieto Rodriguez (1884-1935) wrote, “(Profesor de Matemáticas – Universidad de Mexico) Tacubaya, Mexique” (Professor of Mathematics, University of Mexico, Tacubaya Mexico) In 1912, as a professor in the National School of Higher Studies (later the National University of … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, History, Uncategorized | Tagged Baldwin, de la Baume Pluvinel, Heuvelink, IAU, Nijland, Preito, Specola Guestbook, Stroobant, Vatican Observatory | Leave a reply

Specola Guestbook | May 10, 1922: IAU 1st General Assembly part 11

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on November 22, 2020 by Robert MackeNovember 20, 2020
This entry is part 69 of 82 in the series Specola Guestbook

Since its founding in 1891, many people have passed through the doors of the Vatican Observatory.  A quick perusal of our guestbook reveals several Names, including Popes, Nobel laureates, astronauts, actors, and saints. For the past few weeks, we have been highlighting visitors who came on the occasion of the first General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union.    Today’s visitors all came on May 10, 1922. They are George Dodwell, Jean Bosler, Jules Jaumotte, Henri Deslandres, and Joaquín Gallo. George F. Dodwell Next to his name, George Frederick Dodwell FRAS (1879-1963) wrote, “Adelaide S. Australia.” Dodwell, an Australian state astronomer from the Adelaide Astronomical Observatory, was accompanied by his wife, Annie Dodwell (also an astronomer), who also signed the guestbook. Dodwell is credited with using radio time signals to establish the 141st and 129th meridian lines that mark the borders between various states in Australia. He also photographed the 1922 eclipse that helped confirm Einstein’s general theory of relativity. … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, History, Uncategorized | Tagged Bosler, Deslandres, Dodwell, Gallo, IAU, Jaumotte, Specola Guestbook, Vatican Observatory | Leave a reply

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ⓜ Believing in things…

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on February 25, 2021 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoFebruary 24, 2021
This entry is part of 60 in the series And Then I Wrote

And then I wrote… in 2014, the national Catholic newspaper Our Sunday Visitor invited me to submit a few words about science and faith…  as anyone who reads these pages knows, it’s hard to shut me up on the topic! This covers familiar ground; but it does it in a … Continue reading…

Posted in And Then I Wrote | Tagged faith and science | Leave a reply

In the Sky This Week – February 23, 2021

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on February 23, 2021 by Bob TrembleyFebruary 24, 2021
This entry is part 184 of 184 in the series In the Sky This Week

Millions of people around the planet have seen NASA’s Perseverance Rover descent and touchdown video – I’ve watched it over and over! I tweeted that this landing made me feel like a kid during the Apollo era again! Cameras were not part of the rover’s initial design – and were … Continue reading…

Posted in Astronomy, Outreach | Tagged Dyson Sphere Program, Jupiter, Mars, Mars Perseverance Rover, Mercury, Moon, Saturn, Sun, Supernova 1987A, Uranus | 1 Reply

Arrival: Mars Takes Center Stage As Probes Arrive At The Red Planet!

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on February 22, 2021 by Fr. James KurzynskiFebruary 24, 2021

These past couple of weeks have greeted us with exciting news from Mars! First, the United Arab Emirates mission to place a weather satellite named Al-Amal into orbit around the red planet was a success! One of the main goals of the “hope probe” is to understand the red planet’s … Continue reading…

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a reply

ⓜ Full Moon-th Meetup: 28 February, 2021

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on February 21, 2021 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoFebruary 24, 2021

Featuring Dr. Robert Janusz, and the latest news of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope! Just for our paying members: on the next Full Moon (actually, the day after full Moon, this month), Sunday, February 28, we’ll be holding our regular on-line meetup where we get to know and chat with … Continue reading…

Posted in Announcement | Tagged Meetup | Leave a reply

Specola Guestbook | September 16, 1934: Pope Pius XI

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on February 21, 2021 by Robert MackeFebruary 21, 2021
This entry is part 82 of 82 in the series Specola Guestbook

Since its founding in 1891, many people have passed through the doors of the Vatican Observatory.  A quick perusal of our guestbook reveals several Names, including Popes, Nobel laureates, astronauts, actors, and saints. Today’s guestbook entry is not technically from the guest book.  It is from a separate parchment reserved … Continue reading…

Posted in Astronomy, History, Uncategorized | Tagged Castel Gandolfo, Pius XI, Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Specola Guestbook, Vatican Observatory | Leave a reply

The Sun Rules!

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on February 20, 2021 by Christopher M. GraneyFebruary 2, 2021

If they [the stars] are suns having the same nature as our sun, why do not these suns collectively outdistance our sun in brilliance? Why do they all together transmit so dim a light…? When sunlight bursts into a sealed room through a hole made with a tiny pin point, … Continue reading…

Posted in Astronomy, History | 1 Reply
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Recent Comments

  • Fr. Bruce Wilkinson February 23, 2021 at 4:05 pm on In the Sky This Week – February 23, 2021I completely agree with you that putting cameras on EVERY space mission - without question and without fail. The ability to see the accomplishments of the various robotic missions have inspired future generations to want to become part of the space exploration crowd
  • Ed Yepez February 20, 2021 at 7:51 am on The Sun Rules!Excellent! Thank you very much for presenting this in such an understandable form. Also let me appreciate the math.(a lot of which I had forgotten) With Kepler, how you can make the correct observations, yet still come to an erroneous conclusion? But the observations remain correct, even useful for further...
  • Bob Trembley February 19, 2021 at 5:16 am on In the Sky This Week – February 16, 2021I joined a NASA Night Sky Network Zoom Watch Party - it was pretty cool! When I joined, an engineer was talking about his work on the helicopter - those wings are HUGE! I watched the the landing with my in-laws; it was cool to see the same image up...
  • Richard Hill February 19, 2021 at 12:54 am on Skyward by David Levy: February 2021Very nice meteor photo! Reminds me of one Geminid I saw as I was walking to night lunch on Kitt Peak. It passed right through Orion. Burned a memory in my brain.
  • Benjamin Goodison February 18, 2021 at 5:26 pm on In the Sky This Week – February 16, 2021... and three days later, Perseverance finally touched down successfully and is snapping its first images!I'm sure there were more than a few spontaneous prayers in the NASA control room in those last few minutes... there certainly were at my end :) Really looking forward to the wealth of new...
  • Bob Trembley February 16, 2021 at 8:31 am on In the Sky This Week – February 16, 2021Oh my goodness! Thank you SO MUCH for the kind replies!
  • Joseph O'Donnell February 16, 2021 at 8:00 am on In the Sky This Week – February 16, 2021Thank you for this. Always so helpful and enlightening.
  • Stan Sienkiewicz February 16, 2021 at 7:47 am on In the Sky This Week – February 16, 2021Bob, another great post. Wonderful way to start the day. Thanks for putting in the time to create these posts. Educational, beautiful, and awe inspiring. I really appreciate seeing these each week. Thank you, Stan
  • Fr. James Kurzynski February 12, 2021 at 10:40 pm on Space Exploration As An Act Of Interfaith Dialogue.Thanks Joel! I greatly appreciate your insight and encouragement!
  • Fr. James Kurzynski February 10, 2021 at 10:46 am on Polar Vortex, Snowy Owls, Puffins, and Answering the Question: Fr. James, If Global Warming Is Real, Why Am I So Cold?Thanks for you response! My apologies if it came across that Wisconsin was the southernmost Snowy Owls travel. That was not my intent. In my prep, I saw articles of sightings as south as Texas. The point being that some birds go south, others don't, and its a bit of...
  • Jim Cook February 10, 2021 at 8:05 am on Polar Vortex, Snowy Owls, Puffins, and Answering the Question: Fr. James, If Global Warming Is Real, Why Am I So Cold?Wisconsin is actually NOT very far south to find Snowy Owls in winter, as you can see from its eBird range map: https://ebird.org/science/status-and-trends/snoowl1/range-map I've subscribed to eBird's Snowy Owl reports list for almost 10 years now and while some years have seen more reports of sightings than others, they typically...
  • Fr. Timothy Sauppé February 8, 2021 at 8:38 am on A telescope made by an Angel…Br. Guy: This would make a great beginning to your opening address to the Solar Eclipse Retreat in 2024 for Bishops/Priests. I am going to save this. Fr. Timothy Sauppé
  • Richard Saam February 7, 2021 at 10:20 am on JWST update – Hexagons in SpaceI want to make an additional point on hexagons: In the realm of crystallography as described in solid state physics, there is an equivalence between real(energy) and reciprocal(momentum) hexagonal space. This was mathematically presented in Charles Kittel's (recently deceased) text "Introduction to Solid State Physics". And then something to ponder:...
  • Joel Hopko February 1, 2021 at 11:23 am on Space Exploration As An Act Of Interfaith Dialogue.Fr. Kurzynski -- I too was very moved by the Emirates and the other national efforts (Japanese, Indian etc.) Like you I found in them an expression of the human spirit and even the religious wellsprings that can inspire us toward a shared destiny beyond our fear and confusion. Thanks...
  • Richard Saam February 1, 2021 at 10:33 am on JWST update – Hexagons in SpaceAdding to Fernando's comments 'hexagons are pretty much everywhere in the universe': It can be argued that universal space time can be expressed as oscillating virtual hexagonal (~50 cm, ~8 hr) lattice units conforming to the conservation of energy and momentum and the universe vacuum energy density. There is some...
  • Christopher M. Graney January 27, 2021 at 9:05 am on Faith, Science and Astronomy TextbooksGood! Glad to hear it. As for myself I still think they need more on Kepler, at least if they are going to throw in bits of history with any religion content. It would help with those many students who are afraid that science is all about being non-theistic.
  • Joel Hopko January 24, 2021 at 12:24 pm on Faith, Science and Astronomy TextbooksProfessor Graney -- Call me easily placated, but I was actually somewhat relieved that most of the texts reviewed at least attempted to provide some nuance to the Galileo narrative. Certainly an improvement over the "martyr for science" trope so frequently dispensed over popular media. Obviously much work remains, but...
  • Fr. James Kurzynski January 20, 2021 at 6:48 am on Space Missions In 2021: What Are You Most Excited To See In This New Year?Thanks Janine! I love your reflection on the Al Amal mission! I was so impressed with the video they produced and, yes, I can't wait to see the United Arab Emirates contribution to science! It's something that isn't mentioned much, but should be mentioned more: True science, by its very...
  • Janine Samz January 19, 2021 at 9:37 am on Space Missions In 2021: What Are You Most Excited To See In This New Year?Thank you, Father. Let's see. I am drawn to three! The Emirates one is interesting because of the extent of what they are looking for and from history I know the Arab culture used to be a leader in science. It would be interesting to see them at work again...
  • Christopher M. Graney January 19, 2021 at 8:59 am on “Cosmos: Possible Worlds”, 10-13: Goodbye to a Losing SeasonMy experience with students and the general public is that a reasonable number of people will be amazed by the real universe. For example, people who saw the conjunction on the 21st were generally amazed. But certainly Cosmos seems to think that stuff has to be over the top.

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