Consolmagno G. Brother Astronomer: Adventures of a Vatican Scientist

New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001. — 242 p.People are often surprised to hear that the Vatican supports an astronomical observatory; yet, in its historical roots and traditions the Vatican Observatory is one of the oldest astronomical institutes in the world. With observatories at both the Papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo and Tucson, Arizona, the Specola Vaticana - its telescopes, laboratories, libraries and research centres - is staffed by Jesuit astronomers who advance the Vatican's knowledge of the sciences. Of the Pope's seven-man team of research astronomers, Brother Guy Consolmagno specialized in small solar-system objects, and is the curator of the Vatican's valuable collection of meteorites. In "Brother Astronomer", Consolmagno tells the story of his life as a Papal astronomer - from his adventures hunting meteorites in the Antarctic to the quiet contemplation of his daily bread. Consolmagno presents a history of the relationship between the Vatican and astronomy - from the infamous condemnation of Galileo, to its present research with the optical-infrared Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT).