Pope’s Astronomer To Visit Kerry Next Month

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The Pope’s Astronomer, Bro. Guy Consolmagno.

The Pope’s Astronomer, Bro. Guy Consolmagno, S.J.,Director of the Vatican Observatory, will visit the Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve on Tuesday, October 17

He is due to deliver two talks – one to secondary school students at Coláiste na Sceilge, Cahersiveen, and the second, a public lecture later that evening at 8.00pm, also at Coláiste na Sceilge, entitled “The Heavens Proclaim: Astronomy and the Vatican”.

Bro. Guy is visiting Kerry at the invitation of Steve Lynott, Chairman, Skellig Coast Dark Skies Committee, who are seeking to popularise South West Kerry and its pristine dark skies for Astro-tourism.

He will be officially welcomed to the county by Councillor John Sheahan, Mayor of Kerry, and Kerry County Council.  Councillor Sheehan said “it is a great honour for the county to have Bro. Guy Consolmagno visit. It demonstrates the importance that he and other world astronomers attach to the Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve and our efforts to protect and promote it”.

Steve Lynott said that “Bro Guy is a charismatic, enthusiastic scientist and communicator whose talks are enjoyed by astronomers and the wider public all over the World. He is taking time from his busy schedule to visit the Kerry Dark Sky Reserve to demonstrate his commitment to conservation and preservation of the great natural resource of the unpolluted night sky we enjoy in the Skellig Coast area.”

Br. Guy Consolmagno is  a Jesuit brother and a planetary scientist at the Vatican Observatory, who divides his time between observatories in Rome and in Arizona, USA . His work brings him around the world to dozens of countries and every continent, including a meteorite hunting expedition in 1996 to Antarctica!

He  is the author of several books on Astronomy and Science and the Church, including “Turn Left at Orion: Hundreds of Night Sky Objects to See in a Home Telescope – and How to Find Them” which he co-wrote with Dan Davis. This book is used by many amateur astronomers as their guide to the night skies.

Bro. Guy, whoholds doctorates in Lunar and Planetary Science from the University of Arizona, Harvard University and MIT,joined the Jesuit Order in 1989.  He believes in the need for science and religion to work alongside one another rather than as competing ideologies.

He was appointed to his present position as Director of the Vatican Observatory by Pope Francis in September 2015.

During his Kerry visit, Bro. Guy is expected to visit a number of sites in the Skellig Coast Area and to take some time out to enjoy some star gazing in the Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve.

One Comment

  1. Matty O'Leary says:

    The Vatican’s Telescope named L.U.C.I.F.E.R.

    Project LUCIFER: Strangest Conspiracy Involving NASA:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JYHvluLM1k

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