Astronomical News

ESO Director General Visits the

Lars Lindberg Christensen1 The ESO Director Gen- eral Tim de Zeeuw meeting Pope Benedict XVI during a visit to the 1 ESO Vatican City. Between the Director General and the Pope are Fr. José Gabriel Funes, director On 30 and 31 October 2009 the ESO of the Vatican Observa- Director General, Tim de Zeeuw, was in- tory (right), and Cardinal vited to visit the Vatican City, as part Giovanni Lajolo, presi- dent of the Governorate of an international group of renowned Credit: Photo Service L’Osservatore Romano of the Vatican City State. astronomers, on the occasion of the International Year of Astronomy 2009.

The visit included a tour of the Tower of Winds at the Vatican — the first location of the Vatican Observatory, built between 1578 and 1580 at the time of the Grego- to the heavens in a spirit of wonder, con- deny that responsibility for the future of rian reform of the calendar — a visit to templation and commitment to the pur- humanity, and indeed respect for nature the Vatican Secret Archives, the Sistine suit of truth, wherever it is to be found.” and the world around us, and demand — Chapel and the astronomy exhibit AStrum today as much as ever — the careful ob- 2009 at the Vatican Museum. On display The Pope also expressed his “gratitude servation, critical judgement, patience in this exhibition of astronomy and instru- not only for the careful studies, which and discipline which are essential to the ments are 130 items, including Galileo have clarified the precise historical con- modern scientific method? At the same Galilei’s original handwritten notes detail- text of Galileo’s condemnation, but also time, the great scientists of the age of ing his observations of the Moon, and his for the efforts of all those committed discovery remind us also that true knowl- publication Siderius Nuncius from 1610. to ongoing dialogue and reflection on the edge is always directed to wisdom, and, complementarity of faith and reason in rather than restricting the eyes of the The highlight of the day was a private the service of an integral understanding mind, it invites us to lift up our gaze to the audience with Pope Benedict XVI who of Man and his place in the Universe”. higher realm of the spirit.” addressed the group. In his speech, the Pope said: “This celebration, which The Pope also said: “The International This visit was organised by the Governo- marks the four hundredth anniversary of Year of Astronomy is meant, not least rate of the Vatican City State and the Galileo Galilei’s first observations of the to recapture, for people throughout our Vatican Observatory as part of their heavens with a telescope, invites us to world, the extraordinary wonder and ­celebrations of the International Year of consider the immense progress of scien- amazement which characterised the Astronomy 2009 by the . tific knowledge in the modern age and, great age of discovery in the sixteenth in a particular way, to turn our gaze anew ­ century.” He continued: “Who can

Announcement of the ESO Workshop Central Massive Objects: The Stellar Nuclei–Black Hole Connection

22–25 June 2010, Garching,

The centres of massive galaxies are spe- intimately connected to the evolution of Recent studies have shown that nuclear cial in many ways, not the least because its host galaxy. However, for lower-mass cluster masses are coupled to the mass all of them are believed to host super- galaxies, the situation is much less of their host galaxy, following a relation massive black holes. Since the discovery clear. These galaxies, spanning a large similar to that for supermassive black of key relations linking the mass of the range of Hubble types, typically host holes, suggesting that both types of cen- central dark object with the large-scale nuclear clusters of a few 106–107 solar tral massive objects (CMOs) are close- properties of the dynamically hot galac- masses. The presence of black holes and ly related. Although nuclear clusters are tic component, it has become clear that their relation to these nuclear clusters more than the low-mass analogues of the growth of the central black hole is remains largely unknown. supermassive black holes, all CMOs very

The Messenger 138 – December 2009 35