Pope inaugurates Vatican astronomers' new headquarters

(September 18, 2009) When Pope Benedict XVI officially inaugurated the Vatican Observatory's new headquarters in Castel Gandolfo, he held in his hand a meteorite from Mars. Pope Benedict spent Wednesday evening in the company of papal astronomers who conduct study and research in Castel Gandolfo, outside Rome, and at another research centre in Tucson, Arizona, in the United State. Father Coyne, the former director of the Vatican Observatory said the hour-long visit began with "a very beautiful prayer and blessing" for the staff and official inauguration of their new headquarters, a renovated monastery some 2 kms from its previous location inside the pope’s summer palace. The pope also blessed a dedication plaque in the main-floor entrance area and took a leisurely tour inside. Father Coyne said the pope readily accepted the invitation of U.S. Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno to hold a meteorite. In order to prevent contamination, the pope used a white handkerchief to hold the specimen, which Father Coyne said is a fragment of a larger meteorite from Mars that fell in Egypt, in 1911. Fr. Coyne said the very informal and cordial visit was magnificent because it showed the pope's personal interest in their work. “After all, it's his observatory,” Fr. Coyne added.