To the Edge of the Universe Annual Report 2013

SPECOLAVatican Observatory VATICANA ANNUAL REPORT 2013

Vatican Observatory V-00120 Vatican City State

Vatican Observatory Research Group Steward Observatory University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona 85721 USA http://vaticanobservatory.org Vatican Observatory Staff

The following are permanent staff members of the Vatican Observatory, Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo, Italy, and the Vatican Observatory Research Group (VORG), Tucson, Arizona, USA:

• JOSÉ G. FUNES, S.J., Director • JÓZEF M. MAJ, S.J., Vice Director for Administration • PAVEL GABOR, S.J., Vice Director for VORG • RICHARD P. BOYLE, S.J. • DAVID A. BROWN, S.J. • GUY J. CONSOLMAGNO, S.J., Coordinator for Public Relations, Curator of the Vatican Meteorite Collection • CHRISTOPHER J. CORBALLY, S.J., President of the National Committee to International Astronomical Union • ALBERT J. DIULIO, S.J., President, Vatican Observatory Foundation • GABRIELE GIONTI, S.J. • JEAN-BAPTISTE KIKWAYA, S.J. • ROBERT J. MACKE, S.J. • SABINO MAFFEO, S.J., Emeritus staff Adjunct Scholars: • PAUL R. MUELLER, S.J., • LOUIS CARUANA, S.J. Coordinator for Science, Philosophy • ILEANA CHINNICI and Theology Studies • ROBERT JANUSZ, S.J. • ALESSANDRO OMIZZOLO • MICHAEL HELLER • WILLIAM R. STOEGER, S.J. • DANTE MINNITI Cover: Pope Francis visited the Vatican Observatory (VO) in July; he is seen here through a display case of antique astronomical globes and instruments, including a 16th century astrolabe and a hand- painted globe of Mars from 1915. (credit: L’Osservatore Romano)

Editor: Emer McCarthy Design and layout: Antonio Coretti Contents

From the Director ...... 6 Science Priorities ...... 8 Research ...... 14 Instrumentation & Technical Services ...... 25 Observatory and Staff Activities ...... 29 Publications ...... 38 Observatory Visitors ...... 44 From the director

God of Surprises March 13. It was about 11:10 a.m. in Tucson when the white smoke from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel announced to Saint Peter’s Square and to the world that a new Pope had been elected. I was following events as they unfolded online like many of you. It was a surprise that the cardinals had resolved the election so quickly but, for me, the surprises did not end there. I was surprised and shocked when I heard the name of the elected cardinal. Father Jorge Mario Bergoglio was one of the Jesuits who examined my vocation when I asked to join the Jesuit Order.

July 14. Another memorable day. We had the great honor and joy of welcoming Pope Francis to our headquarters. Another surprise and another first time. The Holy Father had lunch with the Jesuit community. It was the first time that a pope had eaten lunch with his astronomers. The meal gave us the unique opportunity to discuss our activities and projects directly with Pope Fran- cis. We will give more details of this illustrious visit in our section Obser- vatory Visitors.

To the Edge of the Universe From the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Francis has encouraged the Church to move out to the margins. Not just the geographical outskirts, but also the existential The Holy Father, Pope Francis, in conversation with Vatican Observatory director, FUNES ones. His teaching is very important during his visit to the VO headquarters in Castel Gandolfo, July 2013. for the mission of the Vatican Ob- servatory (VO); his words encourage We are also very grateful to Pope scientific knowledge in the modern us to go out to the outskirts of the Benedict XVI for his support and his age and, in a particular way, to turn universe, to explore the universe, its teachings. I remember his words at our gaze anew to the heavens in a origins and its future. It also means a colloquium sponsored by the VO spirit of wonder, contemplation and to come out of ourselves to ask the on the occasion of the International commitment to the pursuit of truth, deepest human questions about sci- Year of Astronomy in 2009. Benedict wherever it is to be found.” Inspired ence and faith. XVI invited those in attendance “to by these words and aware of the consider the immense progress of swift progress of our understanding

6 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 of the universe, the VO staff has pre- Public Outreach. In addition to these The exploration of the Universe is a pared a document to chart a scien- topics, members and affiliates of the journey for all people of good-will, tific roadmap for its quest to address VO are also active in the scholarly not only for the Vatican astronomers. the big questions of astrophysics and study of the history and philosophy I hope you will join us on this journey. cosmology. of science, and of issues in science and theology. Those topics are not We are enthusiastic about our mis- addressed in this document. sion. Like all astronomers our deepest desire is to be on the frontier of In this report we present a summary astronomical research; we share with of the Science Priorities of the VO for our colleagues the same excitement the Next Decade. in seeking answers to the fundamental questions about the universe: This enterprise would be impossible Are we alone? without the support of many col- Are there other Earths? leagues, benefactors and friends and How do stars and planets form and especially of the Governatorate of evolve? the Vatican City State. To all of them José G. Funes, S.J. How do galaxies form and evolve? goes our deepest gratitude. Director What is dark matter and dark energy? What do we know about the universe in its first instants? Are there many universes?

Sometimes I am asked if the Vatican officials give us an agenda for our research goals. Our only goal is to do good science; our only commitment is to pursue truth, wherever it is to be found.

In outlining the role of the VO in the future, we have produced a document with a prioritized set of scientific objectives that are balanced and cost-effective, gleaned from the most compelling questions and ideas that have emerged from contemporary astrophysics and cosmology. Our aim is to determine the path to the best scientific return for the Observatory, given the constraints of budgetary considerations, available human re- sources and collaboration, realistic timelines and technical readiness, which build on research already in progress or completed.

This document outlines six research The Holy Father, Pope Francis, views a parchment which bears the signatures of his predeces- areas and works: Planetary Sciences, sors who have visited the VO headquarters. Stellar Astronomy, Extragalactic As- tronomy, Cosmology, the VATT and Instrumentation, and Education and

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 7 Science Priorities

The VO is set to publish a document regular period of time on Arecibo and Corbally for asteroid observa- titled “Science Priorities of the VO for after new moon to try to capture tions. With an improved guider, they the Next Decade”. with radar observations whatever expect to be able to obtain visible NEOs are newly discovered. We and near-IR spectra for objects as In the document we outline six re- could complement such observations faint as 20th magnitude. search areas and works: Planetary by simultaneously observing these With this project we will be able to Sciences, Stellar Astronomy, Extra- newly-discovered NEOs using three start to collect physical characteris- galactic Astronomy, Cosmology, the different instruments on three Ari- tics (composition, color, size, structu- VATT and Instrumentation, and zona telescopes with current instru- re, albedo...) of NEOs, allowing us to Education and Public Outreach. mentation: the f/9 Ritchey-Chretien elaborate a list of backup targets for Here we present a summary of those focus at the 90 inch Bok telescope on OSIRIS-Rex mission or just a list objectives: Kitt Peak, the 61 inch LPL telescope of possible targets for likely future on Mt. Bigelow, and the VATT. asteroid return missions. We would I Planetary Sciences, Astrobiology also resolve a significant question and Exoplanets The process of coordinating these concerning how closely the NEO Group: CONSOLMAGNO, Ga- telescopes, being carried out by Ga- population mirrors that of the aste- bor, Kikwaya and Macke, bor, is now well underway. Work in roid belt itself. with contributions from Boyle the coming year will begin on the and Corbally. automation of these telescopes and The most successful NEO discovery determining which detectors are best program of the last ten years has With the recent addition of three suited for each telescope. been the CSS, run from the Catalina young Jesuit scientists (Gabor, Observatory in Arizona. But an im- Kikwaya, and Macke), the Planetary Meanwhile, VATTSpec has already portant part of this discovery pro- Sciences group at the VO is now been successfully tested by Kikwaya gram is the recovery of these objects poised to pursue an unprecedented range of activities. Its work is primarily centered on the nature of small bodies within our own solar system, and the discovery of planets around other stars.

Meteor work: A project of setting up a fireball network in Tucson is already underway by Kikwaya in collaboration with colleagues and institutions in the field. NASA will provide four all-sky cameras, which should be ready by the end of 2014.

NEO Observations: The major dif- ficulty in characterizing Near Earth Objects is that they are small, faint, and fast-moving. The time from discovery to when they are no longer able to be observed may be as short as one week.

Most of these objects are discovered during dark time, often before new Three separate images of Comet ISON, taken in red, green, and blue filter at the VATT in Octo- Moon. Howell and Nolan (Arecibo ber by Kikwaya, were combined to make this color picture. Because the comet moved signifi- Observatory, and recent visitors to cantly from image to image; combining the comet images into one color picture means that each the VO) have proposed reserving a background star shows up as a separate colored dot.

8 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 within a day of their discovery so Chassigny have been based on thin invest in some additional filters to that an accurate orbit can be deter- sections provided from the VO col- better constrain the starspot sizes. mined. As midnight in Castel Gan- lection. It is expected that the cura- For example, one could use filters dolfo occurs 16 hours after midnight tional work of the Vatican collection sensitive to the lines of TiO: one in Arizona, having a wide-field ca- will be handed over from Con- expects TiO to photodissociate at mera in place in Castel Gandolfo to solmagno to Macke in 2014. higher temperatures, so if a spot had complement the discovery in Arizo- less TiO, it was a large, hot spot, in- na would be very useful. This would In connection with curation, one stead of a smaller, cool spot. Such a be an ideal project for a revamped item that needs to be incorporated study would be of high importance and automated Schmidt telescope. into our long-term goals is develop- to the exoplanet community. Ideally such a program would be in- ing a strategy for acquisition of new tegrated into the Catalina program, samples. It will be important in A rapidly growing field of exoplanet with the capability of controlling the the future to be able to continue to research is the detection and cha- telescope and downloading the data obtain new scientifically interesting racterization of exoplanets transi- from Arizona, and using their data specimens, particularly fresh falls, ting M-class stars by observing the pipeline to automate the astrometry and we need to develop the means to relative photometry of those stars. of the asteroids’ positions. do that. A revamped Schmidt telescope in Castel Gandolfo might be ideally Meteorite lab: Meteorite physical Exoplanets: An important initiative suited for such research, especially if property measurements will continue in the field of exoplanets to be car- it is automated and integrated into to be the primary work done at the ried out by the VO in the coming an already-existing data processing newly-upgraded laboratory in Castel year is the upcoming conference pipeline. Gandolfo. organized by Gabor, “Search for Life Beyond the Solar System: II Stellar Astronomy The measurement of meteorite heat Exoplanets, Biosignatures & In- Group: Boyle, BrowN and capacity via liquid nitrogen boil-off struments” to be held in Tucson in Corbally. is well underway. Future work looks March 17-21, 2014. This conference forward to improving the precision will bring together an interdisci- Our goal is to develop a coordinated of the technique and systematically plinary community to examine the and integrated approach that staff measuring appropriate samples from interface of exoplanet observations, members of the VO can follow in the Vatican meteorite collection. This early and extreme forms of life on their study of stars. We can identify work alone will likely require five Earth, atmospheric biomarkers, and two specific approaches toward this years to complete. planet-finding telescopes. Gabor’s goal that build on the current expertise in this area up to now has research and strengths of the VO in In the future, Macke hopes to been in the development of the in- this field. explore the interaction between icy strumentation used in these studies. meteorite/asteroid analogs, to see One hoped-for result of this meeting The first is to coordinate the ongoing what role water ice plays in adhesion should be suggestions for a pathway spectroscopic, photometric, and aste- of small objects under collision. This to proceed in this research. roseismological results with theore- would involve a developing a new Gabor and LPL graduate student tical work. The combination of such setup in the Castel Gandolfo meteo- Zellem (VOSS 2007) have proposed observations with theoretical tools rite lab; at the beginning it could be another way that the VATT could such as up-to-date stellar evolution, assembled from mostly off-the-shelf play a crucial role in a long-term population synthesis, and stellar at- pieces over a few years. study of importance to exoplanet mosphere computer codes, together research. with isochrone libraries and N-Body Last but not least is the continuing codes, should lead to a better under- important work in meteorite cura- The VATT could be used to study standing of the astrophysics of stars tion and loans. More than half of the photometric brightness of a few on every level – internal structure, papers (25 of 42, according to the key planetary systems over a long interaction with companions, cluster NASA Astrophysics Data System) period of time (at least for a season, dynamics. published in the past ten years analy- initially). Eventually, depending on zing the unique Martian meteorite how the initial study goes, we would The second idea is to make full use of

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 9 already-existing stellar databases and empirical mass distribution with that Studies on sdB stars can be develo- archived data available, such as from obtained from theoretical modeling. ped in collaboration with Bono and HST, SDSS, Spitzer, GALEX, Ke- D’Antona (Monte Porzio). Targets pler, and soon-to-be available GAIA Photometry and Cluster Popula- clusters would include M3, M5, data (just to name a few) with future tions: Boyle and collaborators M13, M22, M30, and NGC 6791. observational projects with telesco- will continue their current work A derivative aim of this study would pes (such as VATT). using the 1.8 meter VATT, the US be to determine EHB stars in bi- Naval Observatory 1 meter telescope nary systems there; this would allow Asteroseismology: The Kepler and in Flagstaff, Arizona, and the Mole- the comparison of the EHB binary CoRot missions have provided a tai Observatory Maksutov telescope fraction (at least for short-period bi- wealth of data on pulsating stars in Lithuania to obtain Strömvil and naries) in such clusters to that of the (such as sdB stars); using VATT, Vilnius photometry to determine the Galactic field, which is much higher. Brown and Boyle could perform a nature of stellar populations in the Such a project should take about five follow-up survey using the GUFI Galaxy. to seven years. camera to conduct an asteroseismo- logical analysis (examining p- and The Vilnius photometric system Spectroscopy: Corbally is cur- g-modes) on a selection of such stars. can be of immense use in a survey rently participating with researchers Strömvil and Vilnius photometry of multiple stellar populations in from Belgium, China, Italy, Poland, and spectroscopy from the VATT globular clusters (and some open and the USA in a spectroscopic fol- spectrograph could complete photo- clusters). Determining the multiple low-up to exoplanet surveys, such as metry already obtained by Kepler in main sequences in such clusters, and that conducted by Kepler. The aim determining light curves and pulsa- finding the distribution of EHB is to use spectral ground-based data tion modes, as well as atmospheric stars along the horizontal branch in for these stars, including data from parameters and element abundances, the Hertsprung-Russell diagram (of the Chinese-administered 4-m LA- respectively. Collaboration could be such clusters), can help discriminate MOST telescope, to determine the established with groups already in- among various possible evolutionary physical parameters of stars in the volved in mode determination. mechanisms by which such Kepler data. Gray (Appalachia State groupings arose. University) and Corbally will VATT already possesses the necessary instruments, principally the special GUFI camera. A possible collaboration with the LAMOST mission might be fruitful as well, given that Corbally and collaborators will also be working with some aspects of LAMOST. The study could be done in 2-3 years if selected targets are chosen well, but this will also depend on how quickly Brown and Boyle can specify the parameters of the study and also acquaint themselves with asterosei- smological methods.

Such observations could determine fundamental parameters of these objects: mass, surface gravity, envel- ope mass, abundance ratios in stellar envelopes, luminosity, and effective temperature. The aim is to understand better the evolutionary chan- The galaxies M65 (left) and M66 (right), members of the Leo Cluster, were imaged at the nels of sdB stars by comparing their VATT in February by Consolmagno, Romanishin, and Tegler.

10 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 complement this effort by obtaining of the cluster population and of the the knowledge that we possess regar- the stars’ spectral classifications, properties of cluster galaxies as a ding the Milky Way with what we as a check on those obtained by function of cluster properties and can study of other galaxies. A great LAMOST. Given the high num- local environment. This collection of amount of progress has been reached ber of stars, they have developed data allows the definition of a local, since the first Vatican Conference on an automatic classification code, ‘zero-point’ reference against which galaxies in 2000, when members of MKCLASS, for this task. This code more distant clusters can be com- two communities (Milky Way and surpasses any previous auto-classifi- pared, allowing us to better gauge other galaxies) exchanged ideas. We cation method in accuracy and scope. cosmic evolution. Omizzolo plans to need to understand better the nature Future work by Corbally and continue this work with the WIN- and formation mechanism, stellar collaborators will continue to shed GS team, using 4 to 8 meter class populations, galaxy components, the new light on the formation chan- telescopes equipped with wide field role of mergers for the Milky Way nel(s) of lamba Boötis stars. Addi- imagers and multi-fiber spectrograph and other galaxies. The VATT with tional spectral analysis of stars in the to address questions concerning dark the other small Steward Observatory Kepler field also will yield a better matter and the evolution of cluster telescopes using their optical and understanding of planets in binary galaxies. near-IR imaging and spectroscopic star systems. capabilities can be used to address Modeling Galaxy Formation: these topics. Solar Studies: One way the VATT D’Souza is a graduate student can contribute to studies of our own who has completed the first year of IV COSMOLOGY Sun is by continued spectroscopic the PhD program at Max- Group: Gionti and Stoeger. and photometric monitoring of Planck-Institut für Astrophysik, activity in solar analogues. A decade Garching, Germany working with TheVO has been involved in co- of such monitoring, added to the Guinevere Kauffmann as supervisor. smological research over the past 30 existing data from several years, will He is expected to join the VO staff years through the theoretical work allow analysis of such activity over after the conclusion of his doctorate. of Stoeger and his collaborators a period comparable with the solar in South Africa and in Brazil. Most cycle. D’Souza and his collaborators of that has centered on the standard are working on semi-analytic galaxy isotropic and spatially homogeneous III Extragalactic Astronomy formation models to study galactic (Friedmann-Lemaître- Group: D’Souza, Funes, and accretion and the outer structure of Robertson-Walker (FLRW)) zeroth- Omizzolo galaxies in the cold dark matter co- order model. smology. The simulations cover Galaxy Clusters: Galaxies are not scales from the stellar haloes of One effort is to develop a mathema- exactly “island universes”; they don’t Milky Way-like galaxies to the cD tical framework in which cosmolo- evolve in isolation. Galaxies evolve galaxies (galaxies that can be found gical models closely related to, but due to the interaction with other ga- near the centers of some rich galaxy much more general than, FLRW laxies. Spiral galaxies tend to collect clusters), and resolve low surface can be fit to presently available data. in groups of galaxies, which contain brightness substructure such as tidal Another such effort is to fit data up to several dozen galaxies. Ellip- streams. This kind of approach is from new, more precise indepen- tical galaxies are more common in crucial for extragalactic studies at the dent observables, such as red-shift clusters of galaxies. VO. D’Souza will be the first mem- drift and the maximum of the angu- ber of the staff with expertise in this lar-diameter distance and its redshift. Omizzolo studies galaxy clusters as field. The basic idea here is to see if some a member of WINGS (WIde-field of these inhomogeneous cosmolo- Nearby Galaxy-cluster Survey). Unanswered Questions: Given this gical models fit the available better WINGS is an all-sky (|b|>20) sur- overview of extragalactic research or just as well as the concordance vey of a complete, X-ray selected at the VO one can outline the open model. Once such models are identi- sample of galaxy clusters in the red- questions that deserved to be addres- fied, one can then attempt to identify shift range 0.04-0.07. The goal of the sed in the next years. new observables that would be able WINGS project is the systematic to break this best-fit degeneracy, and study of the local cosmic variance There is still a need to bring together show which model is best supported

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 11 by the observations. scope on Mt. Bigelow. When all three and the Vatican’s role in its history. are robotic, simultaneous observations The two telescopes in these Domes Stoeger and his collaborators in different modes for the same pro- are both instruments that make pho- (particularly Ellis, University of gram can be achieved. This will make tographic images of stars. Thus we Cape Town) have also done related the three telescopes into a powerful propose to establish within the Garden cosmological work clarifying certain and unique consortium, the TriTele- Domes an exhibit on Photographing conceptual issues related to infla- scope Facility (TTF). the Sky. Here we could display large tionary models, multiverses, and in prints of images taken with Vatican estimating the boundary between In the robotic mode each telescope telescopes, along with a description of local and cosmological gravitational will employ one or at most two instru- how these images were taken, and an influences. ments. It is currently not clear which explanation of what science is learned instrument(s) will be most suited to from them. More recently Gionti has been which telescope. Now is precisely a pursuing research in Quantum Gra- time for instrument trials and asses- In addition to talks at the VO head- vity and Quantum Cosmology. In sments. quarters or in schools, a new aspect to particular, he has published inter- public outreach is the use of the interesting results dealing with discrete While initially VATT was not foreseen net, in particular links to schools and formulations of general relativity. as a part of the VO’s presence at the other groups via webcams (Skype, He has also investigated key issues University of Arizona, it has become a FaceTime, etc.) and the use of social in super-string theory, most recently very significant locus for collaboration media like Twitter and Facebook. concentrating on the phenomenon in engineering advances and for scien- Consolmagno has already given a of T-duality. These results are orien- tific output. Particularly as part of the number of presentations via Skype ted toward eventually developing an TTF, its significance to the VO and from Castel Gandolfo to classrooms in adequate description of the universe to Steward will grow over the next ten the United States and the United during the Planck era – before the years. Kingdom; this is a far more efficient Big Bang – when all the physics we use of time than actual travel to these know has broken down and where Outreach is covered elsewhere in the schools. we must replace it with a complete whole report. Here it should be noted quantum-gravitational description of that VATT’s impact for this part of the A proposal being developed with the realty. mission of the VO, through both the Vatican Observatory Foundation media and general visitors, has been would bring webcams into the control In this survey, we shall first briefly outstanding and unique – as many room of the VATT to link students in summarize some of the basic back- anecdotes of the staff can confirm. schools with observers doing real-time ground necessary for understanding research; such a link up was success- those areas of cosmology in which VI Education and Public Outreach fully established this fall with observa- the VO has been involved and is tions of Comet ISON. In the future, involved, and then look to the future An important part of all research ef- such links could also be made available of what the Observatory can and forts is education and public outreach. to active supporters of the Vatican should be able to do in this challen- This fulfills a core part of our mission, Observatory Foundation. This sort of ging area. as expressed originally in our founding connection would allow university and documents by Pope Leo XIII, to show even high school students to see Jesuit V VATT and Instrumentation the world that the Church supports astronomers at work, and present not true science. only what we do but also how we do it. VATT’s science in the next ten years will be the result of an imminent and We plan to build a visitor center in the significant change: the VATT is in Vatican Gardens of Castel Gandolfo. transition to becoming robotic, by the The Garden Domes are ideally situated fall of 2015. Its robotization will be to be used as a museum where organ- coordinated with that for the Steward ized tours of small groups or, possibly, Observatory’s other medium-sized te- members of the general public could lescopes, the 90-inch Bok telescope on visit during a limited number of hours Kitt Peak and the 61-inch LPL tele- in the week to learn about astronomy

12 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 For decades, the site of the Schmidt and Carte du Ciel photographic telescopes in the Papal Gardens have been home to a number of remarkable events in the history of the VO. In the near future the VO plans to convert these domes into a visitor center.

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 13 Research

STELLAR ASTRONOMY

Young Stars: The Young Solar An- alogs project is a long-term spectroscopic and photometric program of Father Christopher CORBALLY S.J., Richard Gray (Appalachia State University) and Jon Saken (Marshall University) to monitor a set of 31 Young Solar Analogs (YSA).

The ultimate goal of this project is to give insight into the conditions in the early solar system by observing youthful solar-type stars with ages corresponding to the critical first 1.5 billion years when life was estab- lishing a foothold on the Earth. Of course, our interest these days is not only in the origin of life on Earth but also the possibilities for life on exoplanets. Thus the Young Solar Analogs project has been studying not only youthful solar twins, but young stars in the spectral-type range from late F- to early K-dwarfs. These are the stars most likely to possess solar systems similar to ours, and thus also the closest Earth analogs. It is hoped that our study will lead to a clearer understanding of the meaning of a “habitable zone” and The spectroscopic activity of a star surveyed by the Corbally team, compared with the star’s bri- how that habitable zone evolves with ghtness, over a rotation period of 11.930 days. Note that the star is brightest at the point in its time. rotation corresponding to its highest activity.

The Young Solar Analogs project That instrument (as of writing) has with periods in the range of 5 – 10 began in earnest in 2007 with now been used on 12 nights for this years. Most of the remainder of the spectroscopic monitoring of a set of project, and has concentrated on observed stars have chaotic activity YSAs identified from the Nearby high-cadence time series observa- behavior; very few have flat activity Stars Project using a spectrograph tions in order to detect short-term plots. The star HD 76218 may be on the 32-inch telescope at Appa- phenomena such as flares. undergoing an entirely novel type of lachian State University’s Dark Sky activity cycle, cycling between a state Observatory. A robotic photometric Their first results can be organized in which the activity is spread among telescope at that observatory saw first according to the timescale of the a number of small spots distributed light in March 2012 and has recent- phenomena observed: long-term more or less uniformly with longitu- ly completed its 200,000th science (years), medium-term (days to de (resulting in little or no rotational exposure. In 2012, spectroscopic months), short-term (minutes to modulation), and a state in which the observations began at the Vatican hours). activity is concentrated in one large Advanced Technology Telescope active area. (VATT) with the commissioning of Long-term phenomena: Roughly the VATTspec spectrograph. half of the observed stars appear Young solar-type stars show an in- to have long-term sunspot cycles verse correlation between photome-

14 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 tric brightness and activity; they are rotates onto the visible hemi- flare on HD 76218. This flare quali- faintest at activity maximum, oppo- sphere, the star brightens. This, again, fies almost for “superflare” status; the site to the sun which is brightest at is opposite to what we see on our sun fact that the survey picked it up at all activity maximum. The photometric – when a large sunspot group rotates suggests that such flares may not be variation with change in activity level into view, the sun dims. So, it is in- uncommon. can be large: in 2011, HD 209393 teresting that on a year-to-year basis, brightened by 0.1 magnitude (about YSAs dim as they become more acti- Flares may also be detected spectro- 10%) while its activity declined. ve, whereas on a rotational time scale, scopically by observing short-term This brightness change is two orders they brighten when an active region enhancements in the certain emis- of magnitude greater than our sun rotates into view. Both behaviors are sion lines in the star’s chromospheric. shows during its activity cycle! A contrary to the behavior we observe The VATT, with its newly commis- 10% change in the irradiance of the for the sun. Untangling this behavior sioned spectrograph (VATTspec), is sun would have a catastrophic effect will help us to learn more about the ideal for this task. So far, it has ob- on the Earth’s climate, but this may areal coverage of spots and photo- served flares on HD 82885 and HD have been commonplace for the early spheric faculae on our young Earth. On a short timescale – years suns. – the change in the climate would be buffered by the thermal inertia Many of the stars observed by of planetary oceans, but on a longer this program show significant timescale – centuries – such changes “long” periods on the order of in irradiance could lead to enormous 20 – 60 days in length. These climate changes. periods are much too long to be related to the rotation of If YSAs shift from cycling to non- the star, or even typical life- cycling on a, say, multi-century basis, times of spots (roughly 30 in analogy to the behavior of the sun, days). When those “long” then it seems likely that that shift is periods are plotted against the accompanied by a similar change in star’s color (and thus tempera- brightness. The implications for the ture) there is a clear and signi- climate stability of the early Earth ficant correlation in the sense (and by extension an Earth analog that cooler stars have longer circling a young solar-type star) are “long” periods. They suggest profound, and suggest climate shifts that these “long” periods are more dramatic than any of those showing the convective over- Y oung stars begin their existence in open clusters of stars experienced by the Earth during the turn timescales within these like this one, the cluser NGC 5053, imaged at the VATT. past 500 million years. stars, such that the periodic mixing of the convective zone Medium-term phenomena: The team alters the spot distribution on the 101501. The team hopes to be able to has been able to determine rotational surface. obtain similar data for many of other periods for a number of stars, with stars over the next few years. evidence for differential rotation. Short-term phenomena: The occur- Previous studies of the relationship rence of strong flares could have had Stellar Cluster Observations: between the age and the rotation devastating consequences for life on BOYLE is continuing his successful period of a star have not paid ade- the early Earth, and so they should collaborations with astronomers in quate attention to the fact that an be taken into consideration when Poland and Lithuania, including observed period for a star may not determining the habitability of “ha- JANUSZ (Akademia Ignatianum) in correspond to the (shorter) equa- bitable” zones around young solar Cracow and Straizys, Laugalys, and torial rotation period, and so such analogs. Despite the fact that the Kazlauskas at Vilnius University, to “gyrochronological” ages, for this rea- observing technique of this project observe a number of stellar clusters son, will have a systematic bias. is not particularly designed to detect and other stars of interest with the and characterize flares, the program Vilnius filter system at the VATT. A When an active area of an early star did manage to capture a powerful number of accomplishments of this

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 15 team were presented and published during 2013.

This team reported results of CCD photometry in the Vilnius seven- color system down to 18th magnitude (in the V filter) for 242 stars located around the young open cluster IC1805. This cluster is in the active star-forming region W4 in the Cassiopeia OB6 association. One important questions is whether these stars are actually part of the cluster, or merely by chance in the same line of sight of the cluster itself. The team solves this issue by using their filters to classify stars into spectral and luminosity classes, and to determine how far away those stars are by how much the light from those Kepler Object of Interest 256 (KOI-256) is a cool white dwarf orbiting an active red star. stars has been turned red by passing The Kepler space telescope detected a dip in its brightness originally thought to be due to a through clouds of interstellar gas and large transiting planet, but later analysis shows it is really due to the white dwarf ’s gravity dust. One test of this system is that bending the light of its companion star – one of the first detections of this phenomenon in a it confirmed that the cluster itself is double star system. On October 16, Boyle at the VATT recorded this dip, a remarkable feat located close to the front side of the for a small ground-based telescope. (The image above is the star itself, as seen at the VATT). Perseus arm, at a distance about 2.0 kilparsecs, a distance that had been determined independently by the from space-based telescopes for red the M8 - L3.5 spectral range. Their CH3OH and H2O maser VLBA giants gives much higher extinction goal was to determine if such varia- parallax results. values (up to about 6 mag), which tions are common or rare for such would correspond to the stars located radio detected ultracool dwarfs. In the color–magnitude diagram, the behind dense clouds of both arms. youngest stars of the cluster extend This survey was the most sensitive to spectral class A0. The extinction This work appeared in the journal Astro- ground-based study carried out to values for the majority of the cluster nomy and Astrophysics, Volume 554, id.A3, date in search of periodic optical stars are between 2.2 and 2.7 mag, 9 pp. variability from late-type dwarfs. with a mean value of 2.46 magnitu- They obtained 250 hours of monito- de. This extinction originates mainly Optically Active Stars: A fraction of ring, with a photometric precision as between the Sun and the outer edge very low mass stars and brown dwarfs low as 0.15%. Five of the six targets of the Local arm, in accordance with are known to be active sources of radio showed clear periodicity, in all cases the distribution of clouds rich in waves, and in some cases these stars likely associated with the rotation carbon monoxide. In the Perseus arm produce periodic radio pulses. Extensive period of the dwarf; there was a mar- and beyond, the extinction was inve- studies of two such objects have also ginal detection found for the sixth stigated using the classification and revealed that these stars also pulse in star. These data point to a likely asso- reddening determination for A0–F0 visible light, but the nature of this varia- ciation between radio and optical stars. The extinction within the Per- bility remains unclear. Recent work periodic variability in late-M/early-L seus arm ranges from 2.5–4.5 mag- by a team of astronomers including dwarfs, although the underlying phy- nitudes at the front edge, to 3.0–5.0 BOYLE, headed up by Leon Har- sical cause of this correlation remains magnitudes at the far edge. Thus it is ding (Cal Tech), monitored the unclear. possible that one can identify about brightness in visible light of six 20 early A-type stars located in the radio-detected dwarfs stars, spanning In particular, this team has now Outer arm. The photometry data

16 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 monitored the archetype of pulsing metallicity is not a major factor in roids is difficult, but there have been radio dwarfs, the M9 TVLM 513- the production of EHB/sdB stars, several successful studies. In an invi- 46546, for five years. The fluctuations though there are some second-order ted review talk at the triennial Me- are quite regular, occurring once effects; and, 2) the disparity in binary teoroids meeting held this past sum- every 1.95958 ± 0.00005 fraction between the Galactic field mer in Poznan, Poland, KIKWAYA hours. This phase stability may be with coauthors Brown and Camp- and clusters is not found to depend associated with a large-scale stable bell-Brown (Western University, magnetic field, further strengthening strongly on metallicity, and, in fact, Ontario) described some of these the correlation between radio activity simulations at different metallicites attempts, their different results, and and periodic optical variability. indicate that it could be more of an their contributions to the understan- age-effect resulting from the merger ding of the physical properties, com- This work is appearing in the Astrophy- of two white dwarf stars to produce position, and the orbital evolution of sical Journal, arXiv:1310.1367 a single EHB/sdB star. Future re- meteoroids. search in this area needs to account Hot Subdwarf Stars: One area of for dynamical interactions (which to The estimated density of meteoroids current research in which BROWN current simulations ignore) in globu- depends strongly on the assumptions in the model used to describe how is currently engaged deals with the lar clusters in order to present a more production of EHB/sdB stars in these samples ablate in the Earth’s realistic simulated environment using atmosphere. These authors develo- both the Galactic field (non-clu- N-BODY as the code of choice to ped a robust model to describe how ster stars) and in globular clusters. do this. Also from an experimental a meteorite decelerates, and applied These stars are observed to exist in perspective BROWN, BOYLE, and it to observations of nearly 100 both types of environments. But CORBALLY have in mind to use sporadic meteors. From these obser- the challenge in dealing with these the VATT telescope to probe parti- vations, they computed the orbit of objects is that the precise evolutio- cular globular clusters, such as M13, each meteoroid and determined its nary mechanism for the production for binarity among EHB stars. Tisserand parameter, a measure of of such hot stars remains unknown. how comet-like the meteor Likewise, the fraction of EHB/sdB This work was presented in a poster pa- orbits were before they hit the Earth. stars found in binary systems differs per at the 221st Meeting of the Ameri- They found that meteoroids with asteroidal orbits have bulk densities markedly in both environments, with can Astronomical Society (Long Beach, ranging from 3 to 5 grams per cubic CA, January 6-10, 2013). sdBs in binary systems accounting centimeter, while meteoroids whose for 70% of sdBs in the Galactic field orbits are consistent with long period whereas the sdB binary fraction in PLANETARY SCIENCES comet parents have much lower bulk globular clusters is about 4-10%. densities, ranging from 0.4 to 1.6 One hypothesis for the production of Meteors: Density is an important grams per cubic centimeter. (Water sdB/EHB stars maintains that they physical property of meteoroids, the has a density of 1 gram per cubic bits of dust that produce meteors result from single star progeny whose centimeter.) However, meteoroids (“shooting stars”) when they hit with orbits similar to Jupiter family evolution is drastically affected by Earth’s atmosphere. Knowing the their chemical environment, namely comets were found to have surpri- density of meteoroids helps to de- singly chondritic-like bulk densities, by metallicity and/or helium enrich- termine their physical structure and suggesting either the sintering of ment. Another hypothesis suggests gives insight into the composition of the meteoroids through evolutionary that hot subdwarf objects are the re- their parent bodies. The density of processes, or the original radial trans- sult of binary interactions. BROWN meteoroids can provide clues as to portation of chondritic materials up has conducted several binary popu- whether they come from comets or to the Kuiper Belt region. lation synthesis simulations at va- asteroids. Density is also an impor- rious metallicities to investigate the tant parameter when characterizing This work was presented as an invited the risk that meteoroids may pose to production of hot subwarf stars in review paper at the triennial Meteo- artificial satellites. globular clusters and in the Galactic roids meeting held in Poznan, Poland, August 26-30. field. Two results are noteworthy: 1) Calculating the density of meteo-

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 17 gen boiled away due to cooling the sample is determined, and from this the heat capacity of the sample can be calculated. The value derived is a good representation of the heat capacity of materials at temperatures typical of the asteroid belt (around 200K). To correct for any systematic errors, the results are calibrated against samples of electronics-grade quartz.

The data to date show important and statistically significant trends in heat capacity with meteorite composition. In particular, it confirms that the average heat capacity of meteorites at temperatures appropriate to the asteroid belt, and further out in the solar system, is about half that of materials measured at room temperature. Me- The density and heat capacity of iron meteorites, as measured in the VO meteorite lab, tal rich meteorites are significantly indicate the presence of sulfide inclusions, weathering product, and differing nickel content. lower in heat capacity than stony These data were presented at the annual Meteoritical Society meeting in August. meteorites, while it appears that hydrated meteorites (and asteroids) Meteorite Heat Capacity: Heat The method uses a tabletop labo- will have a higher heat capacity than capacity is an essential parameter ratory setup with a dewar of liquid anhydrous samples. in many aspects of asteroid models, nitrogen resting on an electronic ba- from determining interior thermal lance, which records the mass of the evolution to calculating the chan- setup at regular intervals ges in motion of the asteroid due over the duration of the to reradiating absorbed solar heat experiment. As a sample (known as the Yarkovsky and YORP is dropped in the dewar, effects). Furthermore it can provide the liquid nitrogen ra- a non-destructive way of indicating pidly boils as the tem- the bulk composition of a whole me- perature of the sample teorite. drops from room temperature (about 300K) To date, however, only a handful of to the boiling point of meteorite heat capacities have been liquid nitrogen published, virtually all at tempera- (77K). Using the data tures at or above 300 K. After seve- recorded from ral years of development, this year the balance, the total CONSOLMAGNO, MACKE mass of liquid nitro- and a team of researchers from the University of Central Florida, Loui- Iron meteorites like this sample of Augustinovka can contain siana State University, and Arecibo both terrestrial weathering (rust) from having been exposed Observatory have published a novel to Earth’s atmosphere, and large inclusions of sulfides (see procedure for measuring the heat the dark lump in the left hand side of this piece.) A new te- capacity of meteorites at low tempe- chnique pioneered in the VO meteorite lab uses heat capacity ratures that is rapid, inexpensive, and and density measurements to determine the amount of these non-destructive. materials are hidden inside a sample.

18 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 This work was presented at the Euro- much higher heat capacity, but much meteorites and conductivity, as re- pean Planetary Sciences Congress in lower density, than metal. Among ported in previous annual reports. As London, September 9-13, and publi- the lower density (inclusion rich) described above, they now have data shed in Planetary and Space Sciences, samples there appear to be two trend for meteorite heat capacity as well. volume 87, pp 146-156. lines, suggesting that a difference in samples whose inclusions are rich For asteroid studies, it is sufficient Iron Meteorites: Particularly intri- in sulfide can be distinguished from to estimate typical average values of guing results for various iron mete- those that are more weathered. these quantities to within about 10%. orites led these researchers to look The most important variable control- further into their heat capacities and This work was presented at the annual ling density and thermal conducti- densities. Up to now, the strength meeting of the Meteoritical Society, Ed- vity is porosity, while heat capacity and the impenetrable nature of iron monton, Alberta, July 29 - August 2. is a strong function of temperature. meteorites have made them difficult With the data now in hand, CON- to characterize in bulk. Furthermore, Asteroid Thermal Properties: The SOLMAGNO, MACKE, and Britt these meteorites are marked by an thermal inertia of an asteroid’s sur- (University of Central Florida) have inhomogeneous distribution of face determines how its orbit can be determined empirical relationships large (millimeter to centimeter scale) perturbed by solar insolation (via the to estimate values of these thermal non-metal inclusions, and a varying various Yarkovsky effects) while its properties for meteorites (and thus vulnerability to terrestrial weathe- internal thermal diffusivity controls asteroids) as functions of tempera- ring. Both sulfides and rust are dif- its thermal evolution. To quantify ture and porosity. From these formu- ficult to detect when hidden within these effects, however, one must lae representative values for thermal the sample itself. However, it is ho- have reliable data for the material’s inertia and diffusivity can be derived, ped that bulk measurements of the thermal conductivity, heat capacity, to see how they vary as a function of density and heat capacities of these and density. Over the past ten years porosity and temperature values ap- samples may help to untangle these CONSOLMAGNO, MACKE, propriate for most asteroids. different variables. and collaborators have conducted a detailed survey measuring density in These formulae show that surface The grain density of three dozen iron meteorites was measured via ideal-gas pycnometry using nitrogen gas in a Quantochrome Ultrapycno- meter 1000, and their heat capacities were measured with the new technique described above. The sample masses ranging from 20g to 120g, covering the four major groups (I to IV) and thirteen subgroups. Unlike the small pure iron samples measured by previous workers, these larger natural samples contain inclusions of sulfide and weathering product. The dominant factor in the observed variation of density and heat capacity from sample to sample is the presence of these inclusions. Both sulfides and oxides of iron can have similar densities (4.9 g/cm3 and up to 5.2 g/cm3 respectively) so differentiating between the two via density alone is not feasible. There is an inverse correlation between density and heat ca- Macke at the petrographic microscope in the new Meteorite Laboratory. The plans for pacity, as expected: inclusions have a this lab, outlined in last year’s annual report, became a reality in January.

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 19 porosity has the largest effect on they described observations of three in the Einstein’s Theory of General thermal properties: thermal diffusivi- separate close passages of the large Relativity, could likewise be a discre- ty drops by nearly two orders of ma- Kuiper Belt object Quaoar to field te (technically “Piecewise-Linear”) gnitude from 0 to 20% porosity, more stars, which reveal the accuracy of entity, not a continuous one, during slowly at higher porosities. Thermal the element adjustment approach, the Planck Era. Discrete Quantum inertia (at 200K) varies from 3000 and which also demonstrate the ne- Gravity starts from this assumption, (in SI units) near zero porosity down cessity of considering the uncertainty but that the Physics beyond the to 3 as porosity approaches 100%; in stellar position when assessing Planck Era is recovered through a 10% porosity has a thermal inertia potential occultations. continuum limit. Another interpre- near 1000 while 90% porous is about tation of Discrete Quantum Gravity 60. In recent years, infrared detectors This work appeared in the Publications maintains that the structure of have been able to measure the ther- of the Astronomical Society of the Paci- Space-Time is discrete mainly be- mal inertias of various asteroids; they fic, volume 125, pages 1000-1014. cause from a computational point of range from as high as 1000 to below view it is easier to deal more with di- 30. From this, one can now conclude COSMOLOGY screte quantities than with continuo- that asteroid thermal inertias below us ones, in analogy with the finite 100 demand an extremely porous Gravity in the Planck Era: During element method in engineering. (>80%) surface. the instant up to 10-43 seconds after the Big Bang, which is called the Quantum Regge Calculus is one This work was presented at the annual Planck Era, the laws, experimen- approach to Discrete Quantum Gra- meeting of the Division for Planetary ts and consequences of Quantum vity, as proposed by a seminal paper Sciences of the American Astronomical Mechanics strongly support the by T. Regge in 1961. Spin Foam is Society, in Denver, Colorado, October idea that the gravitational field very a discrete approach to Quantum 7-11. probably had a quantum mechanical Gravity, which is a direct derivation behavior, which is called “Quantum from Loop Quantum Gravity, a Kuiper Belt Objects: BOYLE was Gravity.” In fact, the initial singu- continuous approach to Quantum a member of a team of researchers larity of the gravitational field can Gravity. It has been shown that Reg- headed by Wesley Fraser (Herzberg be “cured”, we think, only through ge Calculus converges, in measure, Institute of Astrophysics, National a quantization procedure. Unfor- to Einstein’s General Relativity in a Research Council of Canada) who tunately, there are no signals or particular limit (a limit in the sense observed large Kuiper Belt objects experiments which points out to the of “measure”). However, it is not to derive their astrometric positions existence of this quantum period of clear whether Spin Foam converges ” with a precision of 0.04–0.08 . This our universe; the Cosmic Microwave to Einstein General Relativity. Thus team has developed a new technique Background Radiation acts like a GIONTI is studying the possibility to predict the future occurrence of barrier, blotting out any electroma- that Spin Foam is a particular case of stellar occultations by Kuiper Belt gnetic signal before 380,000 years Regge Calculus (a version of Regge objects, which makes use of a maxi- after the Big Bang. Furthermore, we Calculus which is locally invariant mum likelihood approach to deter- do not have a well established theory under the SO(N) group of rotations, mine the best-fit adjustment to ca- capable of describing these early be- N being the number of physical taloged orbital elements of an object. ginnings of our universe. dimensions); a simplification in the Using simulations of a theoretical sense that Spin Foam geometrical object, they explored the merits and There are many proposals for a the- constraints look like a simplified ver- weaknesses of this technique compa- ory of Quantum Gravity. Quantum sion of the analogous (Local) Regge red to the commonly adopted ephe- Mechanics shows that, at the atomic Calculus Constraints. meris offset approach, demonstrating level, physical quantities (such as that both methods suffer from sepa- energy and momentum) of physical The results of this research have been rate weaknesses, and thus together systems exhibit a discrete spectrum: published in the proceedings of the 3rd provide a fair assessment of the true there are “jumps” from one admissi- Galileo-XuGuangqi International uncertainty in a particular prediction. ble value of energy to the next one of Meeting held in Beijing (China), In- They calculated possible occultations a quantum mechanical system. This ternational Journal of Modern Physics: for these seven objects up to the year may suggest that Space-Time, which Conference Series Vol. 23 363-372”. 2015, using both methods. Finally, is interpreted as a physical entity Another approach to quantum gra-

20 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 vity is String Theory. String Theory tering amplitudes (with respect to hypothesis, without an a-priori justi- assumes that the fundamental objects scattering amplitudes obtained with fication for the introduction of these in nature are one-dimensional en- ordinary String Theory) for Gra- theories. The T-Duality invariant tities called Strings. A String can vitons. These could imply that the formulation proposal of String The- be closed or open. The fundamental effective theory, associated with these ory would justify these extra terms particles in nature are derived as fun- scattering amplitudes, could force modifications of Einstein General damental excitations of Strings. The a modification of Einstein-Hilbert Relativity, showing that they come underlying idea is that all fundamen- action with introduction of extra from an early Quantum behavior of tal forces are unified through String terms, that could fit the cosmological our universe. This past year, GION- Theory. The gravitational field is con- data. TI has worked with Dr. Raffaele tained in String Theory since a spin- Marotta-INFN (National Institute two massless particle emerges in the Dark Matter: Einstein’s General for Nuclear Physics, Naples), Dr. first excited level of a closed string, Relativity does not explain alone the Franco Pezzella (INFN Naples), and which has been identified as the cosmological data; thus Dark Matter a Ph.D. student, Luca de Angelis fundamental “quanta” of the gravi- has been introduced to explain the (University of Naples Frederick II) tational field and is called Graviton. discrepancy between the theoretical on a project of comparing two diffe- Gravitons are, for gravity, as photons prediction and the observational rent doubled String Theory actions. for the electro-magnetic field. data. However, many researchers are testing whether these data can be fit The results of this research were presen- For technical reasons, String Theory using extended theories of gravity ted during a talk given by GIONTI makes sense in 26 (bosonic) or 10 instead of adopting the Dark matter at a Meeting organised in Pescara by (fermionic) physical dimensions. Since our world is only four- dimensional, one must understand that the extra-dimensions are “compactified” around circles with very small radii. This process of compactification in String Theory implies the emergence of new symmetry called T-Duality (Torodoial duality). In short, this symmetry suggests that if we wrap one dimension of a String around a circle of radius R, we get the same energy spectrum of wrapping the same string around a circle of radius /R. These two compactifications define two strings, which are, respectively, T-dual each to the other.

GIONTI’s latest research has been to study the possibility to formulate a new theory for Strings in which these two dual strings are put together in one string theory formulation, where the string coordinates are doubled, and the T-duality symmetry will become an internal symmetry of this new String The- ory formulation. The goal of this new formulation of String Theory GIONTI displays one of the telescopes in the Papal Palace, is to be able to calculate new scat- Castel Gandolfo, to a group of visitors to VO headquarters.

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 21 ICRAnet, 3-21 June 2013, for the 50th However, it is extremely difficult or This work has been published in Phys. anniversary of the Kerr Solution for impossible to trigger inflation unless Rev. D88, 063529. Einstein’s General Relativity and will the initial cosmic patch is homoge- be published soon, http://arxiv.org/ neous, that is, very smooth. But it Cosmology and Mathematics: As abs/1312.7367”. is almost certain that the universe seen above, our ability to under- emerging from the Planck era would stand the earliest moments of the Cosmic Inflation: During the past have been very irregular and lumpy, universe depend on the strength of year Krzysztof Bolejko (Sydney In- because of quantum fluctuations. our mathematics to describe physi- stitute of Astronomy, U. of Sydney, Until recently, it had been thought cal conditions during those epochs. Australia) and STOEGER comple- that such an early smoothing process To approach this goal HELLER ted work showing that temporary would have a probability zero. And and collaborators have constructed intermediate homogenization or without a smooth patch of a certain a model unifying general relativity smoothing in the very early uni- size, inflation is probably impossi- and quantum mechanics based on verse, almost immediately after the ble to realize. Thus this process of a noncommutative algebra A, and Big Bang, is assured in a variety of very early cosmic homogenization, then apply this mechanism to study spherically symmetric models. In demonstrated by Bolejko and STO- the generalized general relativity. In these cases the model initially has EGER, provides a way of obtaining this approach, generalized Einstein’s significant inhomogeneities, which a smooth cosmic patch within which equation assumes the form of the rather quickly damp away yielding a inflation could begin. eigenvalue equation for the Einstein temporarily homogeneous (smooth) operator on the module of deriva- universe. Further cosmic evolution, Bolejko and STOEGER provided tions of the algebra A, and no matter however, typically leads to the gene- a preliminary argument for this sources are a priori assumed. ration of new inhomogeneities. conclusion in 2010; these new results expand and deepen that work, They define the Einstein-Hilbert Why are these results important? showing that a variety of inho- action and deduce from it Einstein’s For the last 30 years it has been al- mogeneous spherically symmetric field equations. They show that for most universally agreed that soon models – some without pressure and a special class of metrics containing, after the Big Bang (which is better some with large pressures and visco- besides the usual metric components, described as exiting from the Planck sity – undergo this early temporary only one non-zero term, the action Era, as described above, when the homogenization. This happens in reduces to the O’Hanlon action universe was completely dominated these models as long as the spatial that is the Brans-Dicke action with by quantum fluctuations and too hot curvature is much less that the Ricci potential and with the parameter ω for space and time to exist as they curvature generated by the mass- equal to zero. They also show that do today) the universe must have energy density. the generalized Einstein equations undergone cosmic inflation. In a split (with zero energy-stress tensor) are second it expanded by a factor of at In another part of their work on equivalent to those of the Kaluza-K- least twenty-nine orders of magnitu- this subject, they investigate several lein theory satisfying a “modified de. Without such inflation (probably different competing definitions of cylinder condition” and having a driven by a large initial vacuum gravitational entropy (the measure non-compact extra dimension. This energy density) it seems impossible of disorder in gravitating systems). opens a possibility to consider Kalu- to account for the long-range causal This has continued to be an area of za-Klein models with a non-compact connectedness of the universe. This uncertainty in the field. Bolejko and extra dimension that remains invi- “connectedness” is evidenced in the STOEGER show that all of them so sible for a macroscopic observer. In smoothness of the cosmic microwave far considered involve density gra- their approach this extra dimension background radiation (CBR). In- dients. Therefore, during periods of is not an additional physical space- flation is also necessary to account early spontaneous homogenization, time dimension but it appears due to for the near flatness of the universe, the gravitational entropy will always the generalization of the derivation and the spectrum of irregularities decrease. Thus, according to these concept. seen both in the CBR and in overall definitions gravitational entropy will structure of the superclusters, clusters not always remain the same or incre- They also show a cosmological solu- of galaxies, and galaxies in the cur- ase, as is the case with thermodyna- tion (with Friedman symmetries) to rent universe. mic entropy. this equation, demonstrating that the

22 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 generalized eigenvalues of the Ein- comparable to distant massive and a universal trend of smaller radii for stein operator reproduce components compact galaxies represent 4.4% of older luminosity-weighted ages at of the perfect fluid energy-momen- all galaxies more massive than 30 fixed galaxy mass. On top of the well tum tensor. The representation of billion solar masses in the field. Most known dependence of stellar age on the algebra A is found that reveals of them are S0s (70%) or ellipticals galaxy mass, the luminosity-weighted random properties (in a generalized (23%), are red and have intermedia- age of galaxies depends on galaxy sense) of the model. Owing to these te-to-old stellar populations, with compactness at fixed mass, and, for properties the initial and final singu- a median luminosity-weighted age a fixed mass and radius, on environ- larities are probabilistically irrelevant. of 5.4 billion years and a median ment. This effect needs to be taken mass-weighted age of 9.2 billion into account in order not to over- This work appeared in the Canadian years. estimate the evolution of galaxy sizes Journal of Physics, vol. 91, pp. 757- from distant to nearby galaxies. Their 763; and in: Multiverse and Funda- The velocity dispersions and dyna- results and hierarchical simulations mental Cosmology, American Institute mical masses of these galaxies are suggest that a significant fraction of of Physics Conf. Proc. 1514, 2013, 55- consistent with the small radii and the massive compact distant galaxies 59; doi: 10.1063/1.4791725 high stellar mass estimates. Com- have evolved into compact galaxies pared with the WINGS sample of in galaxy clusters today. When stellar GALAXIES cluster galaxies at similar redshifts, age and environmental effects are ta- the fraction of superdense galaxies ken into account, the average amount OMIZZOLO has continued his colla- is three times smaller in the field of size evolution of individual ga- borations in the study of the nearby than in clusters, and cluster SDGs laxies between distant and nearby clusters of galaxies as a member of are on average 4 billion years older galaxies is mild, a factor ~1.6. the international group WINGS, the than field SDGs. Most of them are Wide-field Nearby Galaxy cluster early-type galaxies with intermediate This work appeared in the Proceedings Survey. to old stellar populations. There is a of the IAU S295: The Intriguing Life of trend of smaller radii for older lumi- Massive Galaxies and was published in the Astrophysical Journal, volume 762, p. 77; available at arXiv:1211.1005

HISTORY and PHILOSOPHY

Causality: HELLER continues to explore the nature and limits of causality in physics. The doctrine on causality due to the philosopher David Hume is well known; since all our knowledge comes from experience, we are able to know that “B follows A,” but not that “B is caused by A.” All the rest comes from our mental habits. If we limit ourselves Images of Clusters of Galxies of the WINGS research team. The pictures were only to sensual experience, nothing exposed through the Bok telescope (Abell 2256 - right) and the LBT telescope more can be claimed on causality. (Abell 1795 - left). However, such a strategy is very This team of collaborators has made nosity-weighted ages at fixed galaxy far from what is done in physics. a study of galaxy sizes in the local mass. They found a relation between Heller, in a work that appeared Universe, to determine galaxy size size and luminosity-weighted age for in Études de cosmologie philosophique, as a function of galaxy environment galaxies of different stellar masses points out that one cannot forget comparing galaxies in clusters with and in different environments. about the mathematical structures those in the general field. They found that physics employs for modeling that galaxies with radii and masses This work confirms the existence of the world, and there are mathema-

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 23 tical structures that model what is that the international community History of astronomy and astrophy- transparent for sensual perception still requires the International Ra- sics: but what is essential for causal in- diocommunication Union to broad- CHINNICI continues to work on teraction. This is also true as far as cast time signals that follow Earth’s the contributions given by Fr. An- Newtonian physics is concerned; rotation. The trick is that once in a gelo Secchi S.J. (1818-1878) to the but to see this, a more sophisticated while a supernumerary “leap second” development of early astrophysics. philosophy of physics is needed than is added or subtracted from the what Hume had at his disposal. In otherwise perfectly regular sequence The correspondence between Secchi contemporary physics, causal inter- of seconds defined by atomic clocks and Pietro Tacchini (1838-1905), actions, as modeled by mathematical on the recommendation of a network astronomer at Palermo Observatory, structures, can be drastically different of specialized astronomical institutes edited by CHINNICI with A. Ga- from our every-day imaginations. For known as the International Earth sperini (INAF-Osservatorio Astro- instance, causally related events can Rotation and Reference Systems fisico di Arcetri), provides a crucial be space-like separated. Service. As a result, every so often, source to understand the develop- there is a minute with 61 or 59 se- ment of the astrophysical researches In a further paper, which appeared in conds. in Italy and abroad as it deals with the book The Causal Universe (edited many topics of scientific and histori- by HELLER and George Ellis), The benefit is that civil time follows Heller argues that it is false to argue astronomical phenomena with an cal interest. Moreover, in deepening that physics cannot grasp the truly acceptable accuracy. The disadvantage the study of other documents of his causal dependencies but only tempo- is that when you want to know how archives, Secchi confirms to be a ral sequences of events, taking into many seconds elapsed between, e.g., valuable example of how science and account both theoretical and experi- midnight of Jan 1, 2001 and mid- faith are synthetized in a modern mental sides of the physical method. night of Jan 1, 2011, you must know approach to theology, taking into From this, he reviewed the inte- how many leap seconds were added account current theories and ideas of raction of bottom-up and top-down to the regular time sequence which that time, rather than in an apologe- causalities, and its role in shaping the contained (10*365+2)*24*60*60 se- tic approach, questioning about past structure of the world (based mainly conds. philosophies. CHINNICI is also on George Ellis’ works). Finally, he ponders how this account of causal- The workshops on The Future of UTC still studying Secchi’s spectroscopic ity could be modified by the advent have brought together a small but equipment by exploiting new sources of the theory of quantum gravity. influential group of experts who are recently found abroad. As a con- concerned about a proposal to abol- sequence of the publication of the Time and UTC (Coordinated Uni- ish the leap seconds, decoupling civil book on Secchi edited last year by A. versal Time): The Greek philosopher timekeeping from Earth’s rotation. Altamore and MAFFEO, Timaeus, according to Plato, argued The concern of this group was one of there is a growing attention of the that the Demiurge made our mate- the factors which led government re- historians’ community towards the rial world as an image of eternal per- presentatives gathered in Geneva in life and activity of Secchi and an fection, and in this context “time is January 2012 to postpone a vote on invited talk on this subject has been a [circularly] moving image of eter- the proposal. Continuing the tradi- nity.” In fact, the ceaseless motion of tion of the VO’s interest in time- given by CHINNICI at the 2013 heavenly spheres is time. Plato here keeping, GABOR has taken part in meeting of SIF (Società Italiana di merely described what humanity these colloquia in 2011 and in 2013, Fisica). has always believed and practiced. his contributions focusing on the Of course, atomic clocks and careful broader historical and philosophical observations of extremely distant co- context, as well as on some issues of smic objects (quasars) tell us that the regulatory practice of the European “heavens move”, or rather, that the Commission. Earth spins, somewhat irregularly. The symbolic value (and institutional inertia) of linking civil timekeeping to the heavens, however, is so strong

24 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 Instrumentation & Technical Services

The VO’s research infrastructure is embarking upon a period of sub- stantial development with the commissioning of the spectrograph, with the brand new Fireball Network, and twenty years after its dedication, on September 19, 1993, with a commitment to a global overhaul of VATT. 2013 can be seen as a year of negotiations, preparing the ground for future action. With a 20-year old facility, the emergency maintenance is a growing liability. What is more, with the increasing availability of larger telescopes, the scientific competi- tiveness of smaller and medium sized instruments can be maintained only if new observing modes are provided. VATT with its remote observing capability does justice to its legacy of pioneering new methods. This year, VO and Steward Observatory have committed to creating the Arizona Robotic Telescope Network (ARTN), a robotic facility with three telescopes: the 61” Kuiper Telescope on Mt Bigelow, the 72” VATT on Mt Graham, and the 90” Bok Te- lescope on Kitt Peak. ARTN will allow for synoptic observations (synchronous observations of the same object with different instru- was less significant than what could 2013. The secondary mirror with its ments), opening a range of new and have been expected after 6 years. It supporting struts had to be taken exciting possibilities for cutting-edge would appear that the soap and wa- down, the primary mirror had to be research. ter washes performed by the VATT lifted up, and transported to Tucson, crew are done very carefully with re-aluminized, transported back Vatican Advanced Technology Te- minimal damage. to Mount Graham, hoisted to the lescope (VATT) dome, sat down on its supports, the On the basis of the quantitative as- secondary had to be attached, and Maintenance: sessment, however, it was decided to the telescope had to be re-aligned. Primary Mirror Aluminization re-aluminize the primary mirror du- The operation, which took 20 days, The VATT primary mirror was last ring summer down time. It was also required the full VATT team, as well aluminized at the Sunnyside coating decided that the secondary mirror, as assistance from Steward Obser- laboratory in July 2007. On May 16, which has never been re-aluminized vatory’s Mountain Operations and 2013, Gary Rosenbaum and Ricardo since its installation at VATT, did from the Mount Graham Internatio- Ortiz performed measurements of not require a new coating yet, and nal Observatory. surface reflectance on VATT’s pri- a new reflectance measurement will mary and secondary mirrors. Al- not be needed until 2015. Another scheduled maintenance though a visual inspection of the item concerned the Telescope Con- primary mirror showed the typical The re-aluminization of the primary trol System compiler. Long-term gray hazy appearance of an old bare mirror represented the single, most maintenance of software represents aluminum coating, the degradation complex maintenance operation of an engineering challenge in its own

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 25 right because it has to be maintained Interface (GUI), as well using compilers that evolve on com- as VATT images taken by puters running operating systems the science instrument. that evolve. The policy choice at VATT is to maintain dedicated com- In early November 2013, puters with software environment Large Binocular Telesco- frozen in the state identical to the pe Observatory (LBTO) moment when the Telescope Control performed the first on-sky System (TCS) was first compiled. In tests of Advanced Raylei- this case, the only remaining issue gh guided Ground layer is the maintenance of the computer adaptive Optics System hardware. This summer, the compi- (ARGOS), its laser guide ler computer was replaced, and the star system. Negotiations software environment in it recreated between the VO and the to be identical with the original. LBTO continued, and protocols on communica- Unscheduled maintenance is often tion of target coordinates performed in a crisis management were studied. regime. Apart from some minor issues regarding the encoders, VATT’s The work on the Ari- one major subsystem failure concer- zona Robotic Telescope ned the uMAC temperature-sensor Network commenced controller. This microcontroller, whi- this year. Negotiations ch was more than 20 years old, had about the science cases, to be replaced: it became unstable engineering options, and and its software was lost. Because of finances were conducted. lacking documentation, this opera- The project’s first propo- tion required some reverse-enginee- sals, budgets and timelines ring. The replacement, however, is a were drafted. The VATT system which was envisaged for the team continued to prepare planned overall upgrade of the tele- one of the key prerequi- scope (see below). sites: the transition from the legacy TCS to the VATT Upgrades: Next Generation TCS. A VATT’s remote observing capability breadboard was built to attracted a following among Steward study and debug the NG Observatory telescopes. A new re- TCS with proposed new mote observing room was dedicated telescope motor drives. to VATT as well as to the MMT and Specifications for new other telescopes whose remote ob- absolute encoders were serving capability is under develop- prepared, one encoder was ment. Chris Johnson prepared a uti- purchased and its testing lity facilitating education and public commenced. Options for outreach programs with VATT. The the high level software observers (regardless of whether they (the “brains” of the robotic are on Mt Graham or in Tucson) can facility) were studied. easily allow students and the general The Astrophysical In- public to follow the observations stitute in Potsdam has Images of the primary mirror aluminization, one in real time, talking to them while purchased optical fiber with the view of the major maintenance operations to take place showing them views of the all-sky of supplying LBT’s spectrograph during the year at VATT. camera, the finder scope, the guider, Potsdam Echelle Polarimetric and the TCS, the camera Graphical User Spectroscopic Instrument (PEPSI)

26 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 with starlight gathered by VATT. Gandolfo, the traditional residence visual inspection of the 60-cm mirror Laboratory studies in Potsdam have of the Pope during summertime. indicated a drastically opaque and shown promise, indicating that the On December 4, 2013, the primary speckled mirror surface, the result fiber throughput is satisfactory even 60-cm mirror of the telescope was of considerable degradation of the considering the distance (310 meters dismounted in order to be re- previous aluminum coating, dust ac- line-of-sight, i.e., more than 400 me- aluminized. The last major over-haul cumulation, damage from a previous ters of fiber). In November 2013, the and re-aluminization of the Double imperfect cleaning, and staining due optical fiber cable was laid between Astrograph mirror had been done in to exposure to the elements, espe- the LBT and VATT buildings. Fea- 2001. On a slightly cold morning, an cially humidity. Surprisingly, the sibility studies are scheduled for the expert crew, consisting of members most difficult part of the operation second half of 2014. of the current staff and emeritus involved the transport of the mir- members and longtime collaborators ror itself from the dome, down the Instrumentation and New Equip- of the VO, arrived to undertake a stairway, and into the truck. With a ment task that would eventually take all of mass of approximately 150 kg (mir- the morning and most of the after- ror + carrying-case), it required the Spectrograph: noon. The members were Claudio strength of four grown men, each The commissioning of VATT’s op- Costa, Salvatore Lamina, Francesco straining already with effort, to carry tical spectrograph, VATTspec, has Rossi, Romano Reggio, Federico the mirror. Then on December 11, been brought to a close. Guiding on Balzoni, and Brown. Extensi- Maj (Vice-Director of the VO), spilt light from the image on the slit ve records and photographs of the together with Romano Reggio (chief had been tested successfully already previous dismounting of the mirror technician and mechanic at the VO), in 2012. To make the instrument were used to guide the crew this time travelled to Asiago to the astrono- attractive to a larger user communi- around. It took about 3 hours to di- mical observing station at Cima di ty, allowing for more science cases, sassemble most of the upper barrel Ekar, which is owned by INAF and an Apogee Aspen CG2000 guider of the telescope and the secondary managed by the Astronomical Ob- camera and new transfer optics were mirror in order to extract the pri- servatory of Padua. There the mirror installed. These represent a conside- mary mirror, done with a system of was re-aluminized by the technical rable improvement in terms both of cables and pulleys. Once extracted, staff of the observatory (Aldo Frigo sensitivity and of the field of view. They also mean that the spectrograph and direct imaging modes now have separate guide cameras, making instrument changes more efficient.

Fireball Network: As a part of KIKWAYA’s research, the VO (also acting on behalf of the University of Arizona) became a partner in NASA’s Fireball Network, envisaging the installation of dedicated all-sky cameras on Mt Graham, Mt Lemmon, Kitt Peak, and Mt Hopkins. Preparatory work got under way in 2013, scoping the sites and the available infrastructure.

Re-aluminization of the Zeiss Double Astograph Mirror There has been significant news of late with regard to the Double Astrograph telescope, located on the Images of VO staff dismantling the Zeiss mirror. The mirror was later re-aluminized roof of the Apostolic Palace in Castel by Asiago observatory staff.

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 27 and associates), which thanks to their in diameter, with inserts designed patterns. Other gifts to the collection generosity, was done at minimal cost especially to allow thin-sliced sam- include a 1.8g fragment of the rare to the VO during December 11-12. ples to lay flat and fully supported. Leighlinbridge chondrite, which fell MAJ and Romano returned to Rome Besides supporting fragile materials, in Carlow, Ireland, in 1999, and a with the newly-refurbished mirror these inserts also improve measu- subgram chip of Peekskill, which fell on December 12. As of now, the plan rement precision. They increase the in New York in 1992; both were gifts is to re-mount the mirror onto the relative size of the sample to the cell, of John Flannery and the South Du- telescope sometime in January 2014 which in turn allows for a greater blin Astronomical Society. when it is possible to re-assemble difference between initial and final the staff/members who dismounted pressures. This minimizes the uncer- Digitization of Photographic it initially. This will be a considerable tainty due to imprecision in pressure Plates labor. The VO wishes to thank all measurements. This is especially The digitization of the historic astro- of the people who have contributed true for the thin-slice insert, since a nomical photographic plates of the to the various stages of performing sliced meteorite is dwarfed by any VO is continuing. In 2013 OMIZ- this important maintenance on the cylindrical chamber large enough to ZOLO completed the scanning mirror. contain it. of the plates of the Carte du Ciel project (about 2000 plates), and now, Meteorite Laboratory Early test measurements performed with a colleague of the Observatory New Lab with the thin-slice insert were con- of Roma (Monte Porzio), is working The new meteorite lab, whose plans ducted on two plastic credit-card- on an algorithm to remove artefacts were described in the previous an- sized sheets, which together have a from these plates and apply automa- nual report, is now a reality. Features caliper-determined volume of 7.76 tic astrometry to them. Once this has of the new lab include a secured cm3. The pycnometer-measured been done, the scanned plates can glass-enclosed walk-in closet for the volume of the two sheets together be used to derive the position of the collection, with new sample drawers was accurate to within 0.05 cm3 (a stars, and compare those positions able to hold the larger samples; difference of 0.6%). Measurements with modern astrographic catalogues meter-high workbenches topped on rhodonite and unakite slabs exhi- obtained by satellite surveys such as with a chemically impervious sur- bited very small variances (< 1% over those obtained by the Hipparchos face; and a significant expansion of ten measurements apiece) and were mission and the upcoming Gaia spa- storage areas for materials used in consistent with typical densities of cecraft. sample measurement, preparation, these rocks. and curation. The lab now has wor- VO Website kspace and desks for two meteorite The new pycnometer design, particu- Antonio Coretti in collaboration scientists, a welcome addition with larly with its adaptor for thin-sliced with the Internet Office of the Va- the arrival of MACKE to the staff. meteorites, presents the opportunity tican City State is developing a new to measure meteorites of a range institutional website in English and New Pycnometer of sizes and shapes that do not fall Italian according to the needs of the Ideal-gas pycnometry has become neatly into existing pycnometer Observatory and of the new tech- a standard technique for non-de- designs. When used in conjunction nologies. We thank CORBALLY structive and non-contaminating with the Quantachrome Ultrapyc for for the enormous effort in starting measurement of meteorite grain smaller samples, we can now measure the website and keep it running for densities. However, many lunar and grain density for meteorites ranging many years. We are also grateful to martian meteorites are only available from about 1 cm3 to over 400 cm3. Ayvur Pelletier who freely dedicated cut into large but fragile thin slices much of her time and effort to desi- (sometimes ~ 1 mm thick) to maxi- New Samples gning and maintaining the current mize the surface area per gram. To The highlight of the new acquisi- website. accommodate these large samples tions to the collection in 2013 is a and thin slices, MACKE has desi- 2.7 kilogram etched slice of the iron gned and built a new pycnometer meteorite Mount Dooling, origi- with a much larger sample cell than nally found in Australia in 1909. commercial pycnometers: 12.7 cm (5 This beautiful specimen provides an inches) deep and 10.2 cm (4 inches) excellent display of Widmanstätten

28 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 Observatory and staff activities

Apparent Rotation at the VO ve (about 100 times the mass of the Titled “Rotazione Apparente” or “Apparent Rotation”, the bas-relief in marble by Italian artist Marco Bagnoli was donated to the VO by the Henraux SPA Foundation. The art work describes the motion of the stars in relation to the center of the Earth. Inspired in part by the Leonids meteor shower, the work was exhibited last spring in Pisa at the exhibition “Stories of the other world. The Uni- verse outside and inside of us”, sponsored by the VO.

The artwork consists of Moroccan black marble and white marble from Monte Altissimo, where, in 1517, Michelangelo discovered large depo- sits for his sculptures. The quarry is Fr. FUNES shows Pope Francis the newly acquired artwork “Rotazione Apparente”. currently owned by Henraux SPA. Speaking at the unveiling of the work at the VO headquarters in Ca- sun) and luminous (about 200,000 predictions of increasingly realistic stel Gandolfo, director Fr. FUNES times brighter than the sun). This as- models of the process of massive star compared the subject of the bas- sociation is immersed within a larger formation with observational data. relief and the mission of the Vatican molecular complex of star formation Such studies have generated great astronomers. He said he hoped that known as Cygnus X. The Cygnus interest in Cygnus OB2 and Cygnus the sculpture can be of inspiration X region is located at a distance of X as valuable examples in our under- for all visitors to the Observatory. about 4,700 light years from Earth in standing of these types of associa- the Cygnus constellation. tions in our and other galaxies. A mini-workshop at the VO: Cy- gnus OB2 and Cygnus X: the wor- In recent years, new observations However, the wealth of information kings of a massive star complex at all wavelengths have resulted in currently available on Cygnus OB2 From May 15 to 17, the VO hosted a new information on Cygnus OB2, and Cygnus X and the variety of conference on Cygnus OB2 and Cy- its content, origin, history, impact on channels through which it has been gnus X at its headquarters in Castel the environment and the properties obtained, make it difficult to draw up Gandolfo. This is not the title of a of its members. any coherent interpretative science fiction novel by Ray framework. In fact it is difficult to Bradbury! Due to its proximity (only 4700 light link observations obtained at diffe- years!), astronomers are able to study rent wavelengths with different tech- Cygnus OB2 is an association of Cygnus OB2 in detail by comparing niques and integrate them into a stars that are among the most massi-

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 29 coherent theoretical model of ganizing an excellent academic EBI2014: Conference and School star-forming region. program. Our appreciation also goes on Astrobiology: “The Search for to CONSOLMAGNO for accep- Life Beyond the Solar System: Exo- To address these issues, Dr. Fernando ting to serve as dean of the planets, Biosignatures & Instru- Comeron from the Southern Euro- school. Galaxy formation and ments” pean Observatory and CORBALLY evolution is at the forefront of mo- GABOR and Dr. Daniel Apai of the VO organized the conference dern astronomy research and is a (Department of Astronomy and at the VO. particularly timely topic now due to Department of Planetary Sciences, the powerful combination of Hub- University of Arizona, Tucson) are The Conference was attended by 24 ble Space Telescope imaging and organizing a conference and a school scholars from Belgium, Chile, ground-based 10m-class telescope on Astrobiology. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, spectroscopy in the optical and Sweden, UK, and USA. near-IR and the Expanded Very Motivated by the rapidly increasing Large Array (EVLA) and the new number of known Earth-sized pla- VOSS 2014 Atacama Large Millimeter Array nets, the increasing range of extreme We are very enthusiastic about the (ALMA). The near-future launch conditions in which life on Earth can Vatican Observatory Summer of the James Webb Space Telescope persist, and the progress toward a School 2014 on “Galaxies: Near and ( JWST) and the development of technology that will ultimately Far, Young and Old”. The fourteenth low frequency radio arrays will soon enable the search for life on exo- summer school will be held in our detect and study galaxies emerging planets, the VO and the Steward facilities in Castel Gandolfo. We are from the cosmological “Dark Ages”. Observatory (University of Arizona) most grateful to Prof. John Stocke At the same time sophisticated nu- announce a major conference entit- (Chair, University of Colorado, merical modeling of galaxy forma- led “The Search for Life Beyond the Boulder, USA), and to the faculty, tion and evolution are challenging Solar System: Exoplanets, Biosi- Dr. Christopher Carilli (Very Large our views of galaxies old and young. gnatures & Instruments” to be held Array, Socorro, New Mexico, USA), Training international students to in Tucson, Arizona, March 17-21, Dr. Michele Trenti (Cambridge take advantage of these exciting de- 2014. University, United Kingdom), Prof. velopments and new telescopes is Jacqueline van Gorkom Columbia foremost in faculty’s mind in propo- The goal of the conference is to (University, New York, USA) for or sing this topic for VOSS 14. bring together the interdisciplinary community required to address this multi-faceted challenge: experts on exoplanet observations, early and extreme life on Earth, atmospheric biosignatures, and planet-finding telescopes.

An independently organized 3-day astrobiology school will precede the conference. The school will provide an introduction to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to the multiple disciplines and concepts the conference builds upon. The school will be held at the Uni- versity of Arizona’s unique Biosphere 2 facility and lectures will be given by some of the invited speakers and University of Arizona faculty. The school, including accommodation and food, will be free for the participants of the EBI2014 conference.

30 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 The Dean of the Astrobiology its evolution and historical School is Dr. Rory Barnes (Universi- perspective’ to ‘Creator and ty of Washington). creation: the theological Si- gnificance today of Creatio The Beginning and the End of the exnihilo’. The seminar is open Universe: A Scientific, Philosophi- to the general public. cal, and Theological Approach In 2014, the VO and the Pontifical Science and Faith: VO, Gregorian University will hold the CERN and Tera second session Astronomers from the VO in a two session together with scientists from seminar on the CERN and the Tera Founda- beginning and tion in Novara (which promo- end of the unites the treatment of cancer Macke at the Lunar Receiving Laboratory of the NASA verse from the by Hadron-therapy) gave Johnson Space Center in Huston, Texas, measuring the point of view of birth to the first in a series of density of a moon rock returned by the Apollo astronauts. science, philo- meetings that are part of the (Photo by Walter Kiefer) sophy and the- cultural program “Not just at Saint Louis University and of ology. sun particles…”. Theology at Boston College. In his homily The event gathered representatives Past research at the University of on the feast from the worlds of science, business Central Florida included a survey of St. Ignatius and faith to Rome on October 1 last. of meteorite physical properties for of Loyola last Held in the splendid rooms of the meteorites of all types, but primarily year, the Holy Palazzo Altieri, the chondrites. Research at Washington Father invited head-quarters of Banco Popolare, University included the laboratory Jesuits to follow which sponsored the seminar, the study of presolar grains found in me- creative paths interventions focused on the theme teorites, including preliminary work of research. “Science and faith at the origin of for non-chemical isolation of pre- Science, along the Universe”. Participants were solar grains, which has subsequently with philosophy and theology, is one addressed by two keynote speakers, been used for isolating presolar of the paths that Jesuits have pursued FUNES, VO director and Professor silicates. Other research prior to through the centuries and in fact the Sergio Bertolucci, director of resear- graduate studies included a survey of Roman College was the alma mater ch at the European Centre for Nu- Zn and Cr abundances in the Milky of many famous scientists, philo- clear Research, or CERN, in Geneva. Way ISM utilizing archival IUE sophers and theologians. The discussion touched on the deep satellite data, and computational issues, doubts and questions which modeling of stellar evolution of a Since the question of the origin and scientists and the Church face on a post-main-sequence star with a end of the cosmos does not exclude, daily basis. Both speakers neutron-star companion. but rather, encourages us to move highlighted the common dialogue Current research interests involve beyond the horizons of science, we that unites researchers and religious measurements of the physical pro- believe this is a good initiative for in their shared passion for the pursu- perties (density, porosity and magne- the educational community of the it of truth. tic susceptibility) of meteorites, in Gregorian University and the general particular lunar meteorites, Apollo public interested in these issues. Appointments and Awards lunar specimens and Martian meteo- The first session took place on Mon- On July 1st MACKE joined the rites utilizing non-destructive means. day 11 Nov 2013, and the second Observatory’s staff in Castel Gan- MACKE measures grain densities session will be held on Monday 31 dolfo. MACKE is a member of the using helium pycnometry, and bulk Mar 2014. The program includes Missouri Jesuit Province. In 2010 densities using the Archimedean papers delivered by astronomers he obtained a doctorate in Physics bead method. He works in collabo- from the VO and professors from at the Department of Physics of the ration with CONSOLMAGNO at the Gregorian University, on subjects University of Central Florida. He the new refurbished VO Meteorite ranging from ‘The Big Bang Theory: also completed studies of Philosophy

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 31 Laboratory. HELLER received On July 1st Father Sabino the “Supervictor Pri- MAFFEO S.J. became emeritus staff ze” awarded by the TV after 28 years of outstanding service Academy in Warsaw on at the Observatory. He served as April 7. He was also Vice-Director for Administration, awarded the St George Curator of the archive, Superior of Medal by the Tygodnik the Jesuit community and Special Powszechny Weekly Assistant to the Director. In addi- based in Cracow and on tion, he was very active in public September 13 was given outreach welcoming many groups of honorary membership visitors and giving public lectures on of the ZAiKS Authors’ the history of the VO. Fr. MAFFEO Association. continues to contribute to the Ob- servatory with his work. This inclu- Adjunct scholar Dante des proof-reading volumes by Ob- MINNITI was awarded servatory staff ahead of publication, the Premio Egresado continuing work on the Observatory Distinguido (Distingui- archive and conducting lectures and shed Alumnus Award), tours for visiting groups. We are Fr. MAFFEO greets Pope Francis from the Universidad deeply grateful to him. Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Ar- gentina on April 12. We are also grateful to Brother John Ratje, who was director of the John Hollywood S. J. for his Mount Graham International Ob- In Memoriam devoted service to the Vatican Ob- servatory, where VATT is located, We are very sad to report that on servatory Foundation and the Ob- since its first beginnings in 1986, April 8, Fr. Juan CASANOVAS S.J., servatory in two terms (1987-1991) retired in May. We thank John Ratje an emeritus member of the VO, was and (2007-2013). In the second profoundly for his cheerful ability called home to the Lord. term he played an important role in to lead his team in overcoming the remodeling the Jesuit residence in many start-up problems of a new Fr. CASANOVAS was born in Ca- Tucson. We wish him well in his new observatory located at 10,500 feet talonia in October 13, 1928, and assignment in the Maryland Jesuit elevation and the continuing day-to- entered the Society of Jesus in 1944. Province. day demands of keeping it running He studied physics at Barcelona, gra- even through winter. duating in 1957, and completed his GABOR and COR- theology studies at Weston College, BALLY attended the Massachusetts, in 1960. dinner in honor of Ratje’s retirement at After a short residence at the Je- Discovery Park. suit-founded Ebro Observatory in Tortosa, Spain, and a year of studies In 2013, CON- at University College, London, he SOLMAGNO was moved to Tenerife, in the Canary appointed a mem- Islands. Along with teaching cour- ber of the Scientific ses in physics and lectures in stellar Committee of the atmospheres, he founded the solar Foundation Scienza division of the newly-established ob- e Fede, under the servatory on La Palma, which today auspices of the Pon- has developed into a primary Euro- tifical Council for pean center of astronomical studies. Culture. In 1970 he obtained a doctorate of John Ratje is joined by colleagues as he celebrates his physics in Barcelona. As a part of the retirement. European Joint Organization for So-

32 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 lar Observations ( JOSO) program, left a remarkable legacy of scientific Gregorian University, Rome, where in collaboration with the Kipenheuer and historical accomplishments, and he was appointed professor on 17 Institute of Solar Physics in Freiburg, his memory remains indelible in all September • continues to lecture and Germany, he explored the possibility who worked with him. engage in research on topics related of developing a solar observatory to the scientific mentality and its re- on La Palma; today it is the site of a We have received many condolences lation to religious belief and unbelief number of solar telescopes, including messages from his colleagues and • presented a paper on July 14, 2013 the Swedish Solar Telescope, the friends that show how much he was entitled “From Water to the Stars: A highest resolution solar telescope in appreciated for his human, academic, Reinterpretation of Galileo’s Style” the world. and spiritual qualities. at an international conference for scientists, on unanswered questions He was called to the VO in 1976, Staff presentations, Academic Acti- in water research to mark 400 years where he remained until his reti- vities and Conference Participation since Galileo engaged in his famous rement in 2009. At the VO he de- BOYLE presented a poster paper at debates on water and buoyancy, or- dicated himself to the study of the the 221st meeting of the American ganized by the Università degli Studi history of astronomy, in particular Astronomical Society, Long Beach, di Firenze, Florence July 15-19. the 13th century Alfonsine astrono- CA, January 6-10 • together with mical tables (first produced under JANUSZ, helped organize and par- CHINNICI gave an invited talk on the patronage of King Alfonso X of ticipated in a workshop “Interstellar “Astronomy in Sicily from the past Castile). He also pursued an interest Extinction in Selected Dust Clouds to nowadays” at the 33rd Meeting of in founders of modern astronomy: and Star Forming Regions”, held at Italian Society of History of Physics Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Kepler, Moletai Observatory, Vilnius, Li- and Astronomy (SISFA) in Acire- Clavius, Riccioli and Secchi. In his thuania September 4-6. They presen- ale-Catania, September 4 • gave an later years, he wrote extensively on ted VATT observations, processing invited paper on Fr. Secchi’s life and various historical questions regarding and analysis on the Cygnus OB2 scientific activity at the 99th Meet- the 1582 Gregorian reform of the area; four graduate students of Vil- ing of the Italian Society of Physics calendar, and on the study of ancient nius University presented work based (SIF) in Trieste, September 27. astronomy. In addition, from 1995 on VATT observations; and Dr. Cer- to 2007 he served as the librarian at nis highlighted search and discovery CONSOLMAGNO was named a the VO. of asteroids from VATT observations member of the International Space by Boyle. Science Institute (ISSI) team headed In his 33 years of service to the Holy by Turrini (INAF), “Vesta: Key to See at the VO, Fr. CASANOVAS BROWN made a poster presen- the Origins of the Solar System”. tation at the 221st Meeting of the This team held two week-long American Astronomical Society in meetings at ISSI headquarters in Long Beach, CA, January 6-10 • Bern, in January and November • made a poster presentation the 6th presented a paper at Division for Meeting on Hot Subdwarf Stars and Planetary Sciences of the American Related Objects Tucson, AZ, May Astronomical Society, annual 19-24 • gave a lecture on “Vatican meeting, Denver Colorado, October Astronomy” at the University of Dal- 6 -11 • presented a paper at the las Rome Campus, January 28 • gave European Planetary Sciences a lecture on “Faith and Reason” at Congress, London, England, University of Walsh Rome campus, September 8 – 13 • presented a paper May 15 • gave a lecture on “Com- at the Meteoritical Society Annual patibility of Science and Religion” at Meeting, Edmonton, Alberta, July the University of Dallas Rome Cam- 28 - August 2. pus, September 2. CORBALLY was first author of CARUANA moved from Heythrop one poster paper and co-author of a College, University of London, to further two papers at the American Fr. Juan CASANOVAS S.J. the Faculty of Philosophy of the Astronomical Society meeting #221,

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 33 Long Beach, CA, January 6-10 • Symposium on Big served on the SOC of the workshop, History and Global “Cygnus OB2 and Cygnus X: the Evolution, Moscow workings of a massive star complex”, State at the VO, Castel Gandolfo, where University, Russia, he also chaired a session, May 15-17 held October 23-25 • gave a presentation of skits and a • spoke at the St. dialogue with Margaret Boone Rap- Thomas Institute paport at The Eighth International of Philosophy, The- Conference on “The Inspiration of ology and History, Astronomical Phenomena (INSAP in Moscow, Russia, VIII)”, New York City, NY, held July on the VO meeting 7-12 • was invited with Margaret its modern challen- Boone Rappaport to give the keyno- ges, October 25 • te address at the International Sym- attended the Inter- posium “Interdisciplinary Studies: national Dark-Sky MINNITI, FUNES and participants at the Third INCAI Workshop, The Next 25 Years”, Pasadena, CA, Association’s Annual Chile, August 2013. August 1-4 • presented a paper on General Meeting in Colloquium Addressing a Continu- behalf of himself and Margaret Bo- Tucson, Arizona, November 15. ous Time Standard at the University one Rappaport at the International of Virginia on May 29-31 • took part FUNES gave a keynote address in the Plato 2.0 Science workshop at the 6th International Meeting held at ESTEC in Noordwijk, the of Astronomy and Astronautics in Netherlands, July 29-31. Campos, Brazil, 18-20 April • gave a seminar at the Instituto Tecnológico GIONTI attended and gave a talk at de Buenos Aires, Argentina • parti- the annual ICRAnet Scientific cipated at III INCAI (International Meeting on Relativistic Astrophysics Network of Catholic Astronomy on the occasion of the 50th anniver- Institutions) Workshop Exploring sary of the Kerr Solution of the Ein- the Nature of the Evolving Universe stein’s Equations, June 3-21 • atten- and gave a public lecture in Santiago, ded the Strings 2013 International Chile, 19-24 August • gave a talk Conference in String Theory, Sogang to the students of theology of the University-Seoul, South Korea, June Pontificia Universidad Católica de 24-29 • gave a talk on “The Gauge Chile • gave a keynote address on theory in Physics: How a symmetry the scientific work of the Society of principles allows to introduce inter- Jesus at the Second Meeting on El actions in particle physics”, at the humanismo y las humanidades en la School of History of Physics seminar tradición educativa de la Compañía on “The conservation principles and de Jesús. at ITESO, Guadalajara, symmetries in history of physics”, Mexico • gave several presentations Ferrara, February 18-22. at the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello Caracas, Venezuela • participa- HELLER participated in an in- ted in a round table on Science and ter-department seminar on “Georges Faith in Europe at the World Confe- Lemaitre: from Primeval Atom to (Top) Richard Gray and CORBALLY stand by rence Science for Peace organized by Quantum Cosmology”, Toruń, Insti- their joint posters at the AAS Meeting in Long the Fondazione Umberto Veronesi, tute of Physics, February 20 • atten- Beach, January 2013. Milan, Italy. ded and gave an invited paper “Phy- (Bottom) BOYLE stands by his poster at the AAS sics at Its Limits” at symposium on Meeting in Long Beach, January 2013 and is GABOR presented two papers at a “Neutron Spectroscopy and Related joined by a colleague from NASA-Ames, Bent G. meeting on Requirements for UTC Phenomena. Tribute to Prof. Jerzy Andersson. and Civil Timekeeping on Earth. A Janik”, Institute of Nuclear Physics,

34 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 Cracow, March 21 • gave an invited MINNITI Organizer and lecturer of talk given to students at Most Holy lecture “The Beginning of the Uni- the Third INCAI Workshop, held in Trinity Parish School, Phoenix, verse” at Spinal Surgery symposium Santiago, Chile, August AZ, January 11 • “The Heavens Krynica, Poland, May 5 • attended http://www.uc.cl/es/la-universidad/ Proclaim”: talk given at St. Mary’s “PhD seminar on the Philosophy of noticias/12156-uc-es-sede-del-ter- Norwalk Parish, Norwalk, CT, Au- Cosmology”, Jagiellonian University, cer-congreso-de-la-red-internacio- gust 21. Institute of Physics, Cracow, May 18 nal-de-instituciones-catolicas-en-a- • Courtyard of the Gentiles, panel stronomia- CHINNICI gave a public conferen- discussion “Science and Religion”, ce on “Comets in 19th century” at Warsaw, October 11 • panel discus- MUELLER was appointed to the Roccapalumba, Palermo, April 29 • sion “Cosmology and the Book of Editorial Advisory Board of “The gave a talk on literature, cinema and Genesis”, Museum of the History of Ignatianum Philosophical Yearbook” astronomy in “The Leopard” (1963), Polish Jews, Warsaw, October 14 • • gave the lecture “Science, Faith, and during the event “Le Vie dei Tesori”, Copernicus Center Lecture “Crea- Progress” at the Hank Center for Palermo, October 25 • together with tion and the Beginning of the Uni- the Catholic Intellectual Heritage at Antonella Gasperini (INAF-Os- verse” Copernicus Center, Cracow, Loyola University Chicago as part of servatorioAstrofisico di Arcetri) October 24. the lecture series “Catholic Minds, gave three public conferences on the Catholic Matters”, September 17 • scientific cooperation between Sec- JANUSZ together with BOYLE gave the lecture “The Intersection of chi and Tacchini, on the occasion of partecipated in the meeting on “In- Art, Science, and Faith” at the So- their book presentations in Reggio terstellar Extinction in Selected Dust ciety of St. Vincent de Paul, Phoenix, Emilia, October 10, in Catania, No- Clouds and Star Forming Regions”, on the occasion of the event “Eternal vember 8 and in Florence, December held at Moletai Observatory, Vil- Beauty and the Pietà”, October 9. 12. nius, Lithuania September 4-6. They presented VATT observations, pro- STOEGER participated in the CONSOLMAGNO presented the cessing and analysis on the Cygnus Templeton Foundation Cosmology annual Ignatius of Loyola Lecture at OB2 area; four graduate students of Mini-series Conference “Is ‘God’ Loyola University of Chicago, “The Vilnius University presented work Explanatory?’’ delivering two invited End of the World - Yet Again? Per- based on VATT observations. papers: “Moving Beyond the Natural spectives of Astronomy and Faith”, Sciences: The Cosmological Limit, February 25 • presented the lecture KIKWAYA attended the Meteoroids Philosophy and ‘a Creator’ ’’ and “The Unfinished Cosmos: Creation, 2013 symposium in Poznan, “Big Bang Cosmology and Divine God, and Hawking’s Grand Design” Poland,August, 25-30. Creation – in Conflict or Comple- at the University of Illinois Catholic mentary?’’ at St. Anne’s College, Newman Center in Champaign, University of Oxford, U. K., January Illinois, March 7 • spoke on Astro- 9-11 • gave an invited talk at the Oa- nomy and Belief at the Mount Street kland (California) Cathedral to fa- Jesuit Centre, London, March 18 • culty of all the institutions of higher presented a “TEDx” talk “From MIT education in the Oakland Diocese, to the VO,” at the “TEDx Via Della including the U. of California Berke- Conciliazione on Religious Free- ley, the Graduate Theological Union, dom” sponsored by Vatican Pontifical St. Mary’s College and Holy Names Council for Culture on April 19. The University. It was entitled “Exploring talk can be found online at http:// Mystery: The Universe, Life, Oursel- www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmU2g- ves, and God”, November 12. DbP_Tk&feature=share&list=PL- sRNoUx8w3rMqx1LYBtxXHFc- Educational and Public Outreach 6vfpl-l9V • was the keynote speaker BROWN “The Heavens Proclaim” of the Stellafane Amateur Telescope presentation to students at Jesuit Maker’s Convention in Springfield, High School, New Orleans, LA, Vermont; his topic was Comets Tales: December 20 • “The Vatican Obser- Changing Views of Cosmic Vaga- Fr. STOEGER vatory and Astronomy” presentation bonds” on August 10.

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 35 CORBALLY was featured in The GIONTI gave a public University of Charleston Dow Spe- talk on “ A Brief history aker Series at the two campuses of Cosmology and some of the UC-Beckley (a lecture) and consideration about the UC-Charleston (a discussion mo- Big Bang theory in scien- derated by UC President Dr. Edwin ce and religion” (in Ita- Welch) in an event titled “Star Wars: lian), “The Observatory When Astronomy & Religion Meet”, Club” in Rocca di Papa on March 26 • gave the Annual St. Rome, January 25 • gave Albert the Great Lecture on Faith, a public talk on “A Brief Reason, and Science in The Quinn history of Cosmology, Family Lecture Series at Providen- the Big Bang theory and ce College, RI, where he spoke on some questions arising “Imagine That: Twenty Years of an from the concept of Innovative Telescope for the Vatican” beginning” (in Italian) Jeff Urban explains the LBT to Dominican theology students on November 21 • other talks inclu- Ulrico Hoepli Municipal from St. Albert’s Priory, Oakland CA, during their visit to ded those on science and spirituality Planetary, Milan, May 8 VATT and MGIO. for the Priests Day of Recollection in • delivered a similar se- the Reno Diocese, NV, on September minar at the Vocational GABOR gave two talks to the stu- 11 • spoke at St. Therese’s parish in High School “Ugo Tognazzi”, Vel- dents of the Dominican University downtown Reno, September 11• gave letri, Rome, May 15 and in Padua, of California and held a seminar for a talk on the VO at nearby St. Gall’s at the Jesuit School of Philosophy the faculty, Oct 21-22 • gave two parish, Gardnerville, NV, September “Aloisianum” on May, 27 • gave a talks to the Science and Religion 12 • presented the topic of “Upgrades public talk on “A Brief History of classes and two talks to the Astro- in the VO” in the Third-Thursday Cosmology and Some Key questions nomy classes at the Saint Ignatius Star Talks series at Prescott Public Emerging from Quantum Gravity College Preparatory in San Franci- Library, Arizona • spoke on “Astro- and the Early Stages of our Universe” sco, California, Oct 23-24 • gave two nomy in China” at the East Valley (in Italian), in “The Beginning and talks in New Mexico: in Socorro on Astronomy Club, Phoenix, Arizona, the End of our Universe”- At the Nov 21, and in Albuquerque on Nov on November 15 • with GABOR crossroad of Scientific, Philosophical 22 • gave a talk at the Catholic Uni- he hosted a visit to the Mirror La- and Theological reflections, Grego- versity of Slovakia in Ruzomberok boratory on University of Arizona rian University, Rome, November 11 on Dec 17. campus and to its Planetarium for • gave guided tours to many groups 8th grade students from the Santa visiting the VO, the gardens of the Cruz Catholic School, Tucson, AZ, on April 24 • hosted a small group of Dominican theology students from St. Albert’s Priory, Oakland CA, at VATT for an evening in January.

FUNES gave a keynote address to the assembly of the Jesuit Argenti- na-Uruguay Province on the Pastoral Challenges of the dialog between Science and Faith • gave presentations and public lectures on Astronomy, the VO, and Science-Faith Dialog at Civiltà Cattolica, Rome; Colegio del Salvador, Buenos Aires; Astronomical Observatory of Córdoba, Argentina; Fiera di Primiero, Viterbo; Saint Tho- GIONTI accompanies a group of visiting high school students on a tour of the telesco- mas Apostle Parish, Tucson. pes and Papal Palace at VO headquarters in Castel Gandolfo.

36 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 Pontifical Villas and the telescopes Anchorage • visited the some of the stic Astrophysics Network) Center on the Papal Palace in Castel astrobiology labs at NASA Ames in Pescara on February 25, where Gandolfo. He has also, in several Research Center in Mountainview, he participated, on behalf of Fr. occasions, offered amateur astrono- California on August 16. While Funes, at the 2013 Icranet Steering mical observations through the VO there he gave informal talks to gra- Committee meeting • visited the telescopes. duate students and post-docs on University of Rome “La Sapienza” cosmology, and on ethical issues in to participate, on behalf of Fr. Funes, HELLER gave a public lecture on astrobiology, followed by profitable in the Steering Committee meeting “Incomprehensible Comprehensi- discussions • continued to serve as a of ICRA (International Center for bility of the Universe” Cambridge Director and Secretary of the Vatican Astrophysics) on March 1 • visited University Scientific Society, Observatory Foundation, as a Direc- the ICRANET Center in Pescara on Cambridge, UK, January 29 • gave tor and Chair on the Board of the June 15 to participate at the 2013 a public lecture on “Man in the Center for Theology and the Natural Icranet Scientific Committee mee- Copernican Universe”, Toruń, Mu- Sciences, Berkeley, California, and ting. seum, February 19 • gave a public as a Trustee of the University San lecture on “The Mathematical Uni- Francisco. BOYLE along with Dr. Vygandas verse”, Katowice, March 7 • gave Laugalys and Dr. Justas Zdanavicius a public lecture on “Limits of the News and Media Coverage of the University of Vilnius, after Universe”, Cracow, Auditorium CONSOLMAGNO hosted a film their two-week observing run at Maximum, April 26 • gave a public crew, including presenter Brian Cox, VATT, visited Dr. Leon Harding and lecture “The Beginning of the Uni- to film an episode of the BBC Scien- Dr. Gregg Hallinan at CalTech, Pa- verse”, Wrocław Academic Center, ce program The Human Universe in sadena, to confer over the successful Wrocław, May 31. the VO’s historic Carte du Ciel tele- VATT observation giving the occul- scope dome on July 5. The program tation light curve in the Sloan r’ filter KIKWAYA gave a public talk on is expected to air next year. for the white dwarf / M dwarf object “From asteroids and comets to mete- KOI-256. ors”, to Sun City Oro Valley Astro- CORBALLY was interviewed by nomy Club, May 16 • gave an online Drew Mariani, Relevant Radio, on JANUZ together with BOYLE visi- talk to two Jesuit high schools in February 19 about the 2013 Russian ted the Moletai Observatory, Vilnius, California: St Ignatius High School fireball and the 2012 DA_14 asteroid Lithuania September 4-6. in San Francisco and Loyola High that passed near Earth on 15 Fe- School in Los Angeles, October 4. bruary, and he was interviewed again on August 12 about a massive EMP OMMIZZOLO gave a series of that missed Earth by 2 weeks and public conferences on astronomy the Sun’s magnetic field reversal. and on the science and faith theme throughout Italy • gave a series of FUNES participated in TV shows at lessons on cosmology and stellar RAI International and TV2000 and evolution in the Prison “Due Palaz- gave interviews to Vatican Radio, zi”, Padova. Radio Cope, Diario Perfil, Canal 12 and Crónica 10, El Mercurio, Vanity STOEGER visited Alaska Pacific Fair, El Nacional. University, Anchorage, Alaska, Fe- bruary 10-14. While there he wor- Visits to scientific institutions and ked with several classes, met with universities faculty and science students, and GIONTI visited Dr. Franco Pezzella delivered a public lecture, “God’s and Dr. Raffaele Marotta (INFN, Creation and the Big Bang – How Naples Section) several times at the Do They Fit Together?’’ He also Physics Department of the Universi- talked about astronomy, science and ty of Naples Frederick II for research religion at two Catholic high schools purposes • visited the ICRANET and a Catholic elementary school in (International Center for Relativi-

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 37 Publications

Books My Two Roads to the Same Goal, In- SZ, R., Laugalys, V., Kazlauskas, After a long preparation, the corre- terview by Giulio Brotti, translated A., (2013). The Open Cluster spondence between Angelo Secchi from Italian by Ewa Nicewicz-Stas- IC1805 and its Vicinity: Investiga- SJ (1818-1878) and Pietro Tacchini zewska, Copernicus Center Press, tion of Stars in the Vilnius, IPHAS, (1838-1905), has been edited by Kraków 2013. He also co-authored 2MASS, and WISE Systems. A&A Ileana CHINNICI and Antonel- the book Creation and the Beginning 554, A3. Straizys, V., Maskoliunas, la Gasperini (INAF-Osservatorio of the Universe, with Tadeusz Pabjan, M., BOYLE, R. P., Zdanavicius, K, Astrofisico di Arcetri). The volume Copernicus Center Press, Kraków Zdanavicius, J., Laugalys, V., Kazlau- has been kindly revised by MAF- 2013 (in Polish). Finally, Fr. Heller skas, A., (2013). The Open Cluster FEO and contains forewords from contributed to and edited Between NGC 7142: Interstellar Extinction, FUNES and Fabrizio Bignami, Pre- Philosophy and Science, eds.: M. Hel- Distance and Age. (arXiv:1312.1109) sident of INAF (National Institute ler, B. Brożek, Ł. Kurek, Copernicus Straizys, V., Maskoliunas, M., BOY- for Astrophysics). It gives an impor- Center Press, Kraków, 2013 and The LE, R. P., Prada Moroni, P. G., To- tant contribution in understanding Causal Universe, eds: G. F. R. Ellis, gnelli, E., Zdanavicius, K., Zdanavi- the developing of early astrophysics M. Heller, T. Pabian, Copernicus cius, J., Laugalys, V., Kazlauskas, A., Center Press, Kraków 2013. (2013). The Distance to the Young Cluster NGC 7129 and its Age. (ar- Academic Publications Xiv:1312.1153) BOYLE, R. P., Straizys, V., JANUSZ, R., Laugalys, V., Brown, D. (2013). The production Kazlauskas, A., (2013). The Open of hot subdwarf stars in globular Cluster IC 1805 in the Perseus Arm: clusters and in the galactic field. AAS Distance, Extinction and YSOs. AAS meeting #221, abstract #443.05 Meeting #221, abstract #256.04 BOYLE, R. P., Laugalys, V., Cernis, CONSOLMAGNO G. J., (2013). K., (2013). Minor Planet Obser- Book review: The astrobiological vations [290 Mt. Graham]. Minor landscape by Milan M. Ćirković. Planet Circular 83283, 6. Fraser, W. Meteorit. Planet. Sci., 48, 316-317. C., Gwyn, S., Trujillo, C., Stephens, CONSOLMAGNO G. J., (2013). A. W., Kavelaars, J. J., Brown, M. Entropy. In: New Catholic En- E., Bianco, F. B., BOYLE, R. P., cyclopedia Supplement 2012-13: Brucker, M. J., Hetherington, N., Ethics and Philosophy. Ed. Robert L. The book by CHINNICI and A. Gasperini, Joner, M., Keel, W. C., Langill, P. P., Fastiggi. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale., pp. Alle origini dell’astronomia italiana (At the Lister, T., McMillan, R. J., Young, 470-471. Origins of Italian Astronomy) published in L., (2013). Kuiper Belt Occultation CONSOLMAGNO G. J., (2013). July, 2013, features the correspondence between Predictions. PASP. 125, 1000. (ar- Universe. In: New Catholic En- Fr. Angelo Secchi S.J.(top) and Pietro Tacchini Xiv:1306.6626) cyclopedia Supplement 2012-13: (bottom). Harding, L. K., Hallinan, G., BOY- Ethics and Philosophy. Ed. Robert L. LE, R. P., Golden, A., Singh, N., Fastiggi. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale, pp. in Italy and abroad. The volume has Sheehan, B., Zavala, R. T., Butler, R. 1595-1596. been presented in Reggio Emilia F., (2013). Periodic Optical Varia- CONSOLMAGNO G. J., (2013). (Biblioteca Comunale “A. Panizzi”), bility of Radio Detected Ultracool Not just an illusion. The Tablet, 267, Catania (Accademia Gioenia), and Dwarfs. (arXiv:1310.1367) January 26, 36. Florence (Soprintendenza Regionale Harding, L. K., Hallinan, G., Kono- CONSOLMAGNO G. J., (2013). per i Beni Archivistici) and is to be packy, Q. M., Kratter, K. M., BOY- When time and distance help. The presented in Palermo and Rome. LE, R. P., Butler, R. F., Golden, A., Tablet, 267, February 23, 36. (2013). Spin-orbit Alignment in the CONSOLMAGNO G. J., (2013). Once again this year HELLER pu- Very Low Mass Binary Regime: The In faith, and expectation. The Tablet, blished a series of volumes including L Dwarf Tight Binary 2MASSW 267, March 23, 40. Philosophy of Cosmology. Introduction, J0746425+200032AB. A&A 554, CONSOLMAGNO G. J., (2013). Copernicus Center Press, Kraków A113 (arXiv:1304.5290) Exciting possibilities of Wimps. The 2013 (in Polish) and God and Science. Straizys, V., BOYLE, R. P., JANU- Tablet, 267, April 27, 32.

38 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 CONSOLMAGNO G. J., (2013). materials. EPSC Abstracts 8, abstract (abstract). On our forebears’ shoulders. The #EPSC2013-248. Tablet, 267, May 25, 32. MACKE R. J., Britt D. T. and FUNES, J.G., (2013). Chiesa e sfi- CONSOLMAGNO G. J., (2013). CONSOLMAGNO G. J., (2013). da pastorale, La Civiltà Cattolica, I, Climate of change. The Tablet, 267, New pycnometer design for thin-sli- pp.258-266 June 22, 32. ced meteorites. Lunar Planet. Sci. FUNES, J.G., (2013). La domanda CONSOLMAGNO G. J., (2013). XLIV, abstract #1398. che vorrei fare ai magi , L’Osservato- Hidden inclusions. The Tablet, 267, Turrini D., Combe J.-P., McCord T., re Romano, 5 Jan, p.1 July 27, 32. Oklay N., Vincent J.-B., Prettyman FUNES, J.G., (2013). L’ultima peri- CONSOLMAGNO G. J., (2013). T., McSween H. Y., CONSOLMA- feria, L’Osservatore Romano, 11 Aug, Dark into light. The Tablet, 267, Au- GNO G. J., De Sanctis M. C., Le p.1 gust 24, 32. Corre L., Longobardo A., Palomba FUNES, J.G., (2013). Messaggio CONSOLMAGNO G. J., (2013). E., and Russell C. T. (2013). Investi- cosmico in bottiglia, L’Osservatore By the light of the icy moon. The gating the secular contamination of Romano, 18 Sep, p.1 Tablet, 267, September 28, 40. the surface of Vesta. EPSC Abstracts CONSOLMAGNO G. J., (2013). 8, abstract #EPSC2013-920-2. GABOR, P., (2013). How do the Disturbing the dust. The Tablet, 267, CONSOLMAGNO G. J. (2013), Planets Revolve around the Sun, October 26, 36. ed: Nebesia Rozprávajú (tr.: Mária Mr Copernicus? Tarsicius, February CONSOLMAGNO G. J. and Britt Hajduková and Juraj Tóth; Vatican 2013, p. 15. D. T., (2013). Iron meteorite density City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, GABOR, P., (2013). Which is bet- and heat capacity. Meteorit. Planet and Trnava: Spolok svätého Vojte- ter: Ptolemy or Copernicus? Tarsi- Sci. 48, abstract #5128. cha). 231pp. cius, April 2013, p. 15. CONSOLMAGNO G. J. and GABOR, P., (2013). Galileo did not CORBALLY C., (2013). The VO: CONSOLMAGNO, G., COR- believe “what everybody knew”. Tar- Astronomy at the Vatican, in Or- BALLY, C., (2013). The VO: sicius, June 2013, p. 15. ganizations, People and Strategies in Astronomy at the Vatican, in Or- GABOR, P., (2013). Science or Reli- Astronomy – Volume 2 (OPSA 2), Ed. ganizations, People and Strategies in gion? Tarsicius, October 2013, p. 15. A. Heck, Venngeist, Duttlenheim Astronomy, Volume 2, ed. A. Heck, GABOR, P., (2013). Two Books. (ISBN 978-2-9542677-1-5), 217- (Venngeist, Duttlenheim), 217-230. Tarsicius, December 2013, p. 15. 230. CORBALLY, C.J., Gray, R.O., GABOR, “Diplomacy of Legal Tran- Consolmagno G.J. (2013) Les (2013). An Expert System for Clas- slations: GMT v. UT” in: Require- extraterrestres existent-ils? Un astro- sifying Stars on the MK Spectral ments for UTC and Civil Timekeeping nome du Vatican répond. (tr: Phillippe Classification System. A.A.S., on Earth--A Colloquium Addressing a Quentin) Paris: Quasar Editions. 22115802 (abstract). Continuous Time Standard. American CONSOLMAGNO G. J., MACKE CORBALLY, C.J., Rappaport, M.B., Astronautical Society (AAS) Science R. J. and Britt D. T., (2013). Aste- (2013). Crossing the Latest Line: and Technology Series, Volume 115 roid thermal properties derived from The Evolution of Religious Thought (2013), Univelt, Inc., San Diego, pp. meteorite data. AAS-DPS meeting, as a Component of Human Sentien- 51-61. abstract #1775013. ce, in Evolution: Development within GABOR, “Impractical Precision of CONSOLMAGNO G. J., Schaefer Big History, Evolutionary and Wor- Calendars” in: Requirements for UTC M. W., Schaefer B. E., Britt D. T., ld-System Paradigms, Eds. L.E. Gri- and Civil Timekeeping on Earth--A MACKE R. J., Nolan M. C. and nin and A.V. Korotayev, (Volgograd, Colloquium Addressing a Continuous Howell E. S., (2013). The measure- ‘Uchitel’ Publishing House),197-218. Time Standard. American Astronau- ment of meteorite heat capacity at Gray, R.O., Saken, J.M., COR- tical Society (AAS) Science and Te- low temperatures using liquid nitro- BALLY, C.J., Fuller, V., Kahvaz, Y., chnology Series, Volume 115 (2013), gen vaporization. Planetary and Space Lambert, R., Newsome, I., Seeds, Univelt, Inc., San Diego, pp. 161-169. Science 87, 146-156. M., (2013). The Young Solar Analogs CONSOLMAGNO G. J., Schaefer Project. A.A.S., 22115803 (abstract). GIONTI, G. (2013). Proceedings of M. W., Schaefer B. E., Britt D. T., Saken, J.M., Gray, R.O., and COR- the 3rd Galileo–Xu Guangqi Mee- MACKE R. J., Nolan M. C. and BALLY, C.J., (2013). The Young ting International Journal of Modern Howell E. S., (2013). Low tempera- Solar Analogs Project: Initial Pho- Physics: Conference Series Vol. 23, ture heat capacities of solar system tometric Results. A.A.S., 22211604 363–372 ©World Scientific Pu-

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 39 blishing Company DOI: 10.1142/ the American Astronomical Society 45, Corners of the Boxy Bulge, Astro- S2010194513011628 pp. 88-89. nomy & Astrophysics, 559, 98 (ar- De Angelis L., GIONTI,G., Pezzel- CONSOLMAGNO G. J., Schaefer Xiv:1309.4570) la, F. and Marotta, R., (2013). Com- M. W., Schaefer B. E., Britt D. T., McDonald, I., Zijlstra, A. A., Sloan, paring Double String Theory Action, MACKE R. J., Nolan M. C., and G. C., Kerins, E., Lagadec, E., MIN- Journal of High Energy Physics. Howell, E. S. (2013). Low tempera- NITI, D., Gurovich, S., Dominguez GIONTI, G. (2013). Science as ture heat capacities of solar system Romero, M. J. de L., Santucho, V., un-thematic searching for God, Sa- materials. European Planetary Science (2013). VISTA’s view of the Sagit- cred Space, April 2013. Congress Abstracts 8, EPSC2013-248. tarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy and GIONTI, G. (2013) The Visit of MACKE R. J., Britt D. T. and southern Galactic Bulge, Monthly Pope Francis to the VO Community CONSOLMAGNO G. J. (2013). Notices of the Royal Astronomical So- on 14/07/2013 (In Italian), Gesuiti- New pycnometer design for thin-sli- ciety, 436, 413 (arXiv:1308.4323) news 15/07/2013. ced meteorites. 44th Lunar and Ivanov, V. D., MINNITI, D., Hem- GIONTI G.(2013). Una Breve Sto- Planetary Science Conference, abstract pel, M., Kurtev, R., Toledo, I., Saito, ria dell’Universo. L’Osservatore Ro- #1398. R. K., Alonso-García, J., Beamin, mano, 10 Novembre 2013, p. 4. MACKE R. J. (2013) Breve visita di J.C., Borissova, J., Catelán, M., Che- un’abitante della nube di Oort [En- ne, A.N., Emerson, J., Gonzalez, HELLER, M., Brożek, B., Kurek, glish title: “Comet ISON: A Visitor O.A., Lucas, P.W., Martin, E.L., Ł., (2013). The Ontology of the Plan- From Afar”] L’Osservatore Romano, Rejkuba, M., (2013). Discovery of ck Scale, in: Between Philosophy and 273, November 28. New Companions to High Proper Science, eds.: Copernicus Center Motion Stars from the VVV Survey, Press, Kraków, pp. 119-129. Barbuy, B., Hill,V., Zoccali, M., Du- Astronomy & Astrophysics, 560, 211 HELLER, M., (2013). At the Limits tra, N., MINNITI, D., Renzini, A., (arXiv:1309.4301) of Space-Time, in: Multiverse and Ortolani, S., Gomez, A., Trevisan, Dekany, I., MINNITI, D., Catelan, Fundamental Cosmology, American M., (2013). Manganese abundances M., Zoccali, M., Saito R.K., Hempel, Institute of Physics Conf. Proc. 1514, in Galactic bulge red giants, Astro- M., Gonzalez, O.A., (2013). VVV 2013, 55-59; doi: 10.1063/1.4791725 nomy & Astrophysics, 559A, 5B Survey Near-Infrared Photometry Bottom-Up Causality in a New Set- Parisi, P., Masetti, N., Rojas, A.F., of Known Bulge RR Lyrae stars: the ting, in: The Causal Universe, eds: El- Jiménez-Bailón, E., Chavushyan, Distance to the Galactic Center and lis, G. F. R., HELLER, M., Pabian, V., Palazzi, E., Bassani, L., Bazzano, Absence of a Barred Distribution T. Copernicus Center Press, Kraków, A., Bird, A.J., Galaz, G. , MIN- of the Metal-Poor Population, The 2013, pp. 206-214. NITI, D., Morelli, L., Ubertini, P., Astrophysical Journal Letters, 776, L19 HELLER, M., (2013) Leibniz’s Que- (2013) Accurate classification of 75 (arXiv:1309.5933) stion, in: The Mystery of Existence. Why counterparts of objects detected in Borissova, J., Kumar, M.S.N., Ami- Is There Anything at All? eds.: J. Le- the 54 month Palermo Swift/BAT go, P., Chené, A.-N., Kurtev, R., slie, R. L. Kuhn, Wieley-Blackwell, hard X-ray catalogue, Astronomy & MINNITI, D., (2013). Detached Oxford, pp. 278-284. Astrophysics. dust shell around Wolf Rayet star HELLER, M., Miller, T., Pysiak, Masetti, N., Sbarufatti, B., Parisi, P., WR60ab in the young stellar cluster L., Sasin, W., (2013). Generalized Jimenez-Bailon, E., Chavushyan, V., VVV CL03, Astronomical Journal, Derivations and General Relativity, Vogt, F.P.A., Sguera, V., Stephen, 147, 18. Canadian Journal of Physics, vol. 91, J.B., Palazzi, E., Bassani, L., Bazzano, Amores, E. B., Lopez-Corredoira, no 10, 757-763. A., Fiocchi, M., Galaz, G., Landi, M., Gonzalez-Fernandez, C., Moi- HELLER, M., (2013). The Limits of R., Malizia, A., MINNITI, D., Mo- tinho, A., MINNITI, D., Gurovi- Causal Explanations in Physics, in: relli, L., Ubertini, P., (2013). BL Lac ch, S., (2013). The long bar as seen Études de cosmologie philosophique, ed. identifications in a ROSAT-selected by VISTA Variable Survey in the by M. Bastit, Harmattan, Paris, 2013, sample of Fermi unidentified objects, Milky Way: II. Star counts, Astro- pp. 91-106. 2013, Astronomy & Astrophysics, 559, nomy & Astrophysics, 559, 11 (ar- 58 (arXiv:1310.1916) Xiv:1308.6022) CONSOLMAGNO G. J., MACKE Valenti, E., Zoccali, M., Renzini, A., Beamin, J. C., MINNITI, D., Gro- R. J., and Britt D. T. (2013). Asteroid Brown, T. M., Gonzalez, O., MIN- madszki,M., Kurtev, R., Ivanov, V.D., Thermal Properties Derived from NITI, D., Debattista, V. P., Mayer, Beletsky, Y., Lucas, P.W., Saito, R.K., Meteorite Data. (#208.18) Bulletin of L., (2013) Stellar Ages through the (2013) One More Neighbor: Disco-

40 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 very of the First Brown Dwarf in the around the K7/M0 dwarf GJ 221: matics through the X-shaped Milky VVV Survey, Astronomy & Astrophysi- a hot super-Earth and a candidate Way bulge”, Astronomy & Astrophysics, cs Letters, 557L, 8B (arXiv:1308.3216) in the sub-Saturn desert range, The 555A, 91V (arXiv:1304.6427) Masetti, N., Parisi, P., Palazzi, E., Astrophysical Journal, 771, 42 (ar- Weidmann, W. A., Gamen, R., MIN- Jimenez-Bailon, E., Chavushyan, V., Xiv:1305:2203) NITI, D., Zijlstra, A. A. ., (2013). McBride, B., Rojas, A. F., Steward, Pietrzynski, G., Graczyk, D., Gieren, Near-infrared photometry of Galactic L., Bassani, L., Bazzano, A., Bird, A. W., Thompson, I. B., Pilecki, B., Udal- planetary nebulae with the VVV Sur- J., Charles, P. A., Galaz, G., Landi, ski, A., Soszynski, I., Kozlowski, S., vey, Astronomy & Astrophysics, 552A, R., Malizia, A., Mason, E., MIN- Konorski, P., Suchomska, K., Bono, 74W (arXiv:1304.3755) NITI, D., Morelli, L., Schiavone, F., G., Prada Moroni, P.G., Villanova, Chen, B., Schultheis, M., Jiang, B., Stephen, J.B., Ubertini, P., (2013). S., Nardetto, N., Bresolin, F., Kudri- Gonzalez, O.A., Robin, A., Rejkuba, Unveiling the nature of INTEGRAL tzki, R.-P., Storm, J., Gallenne, A., M., MINNITI, D., (2013). Three objects through optical spectroscopy. Smolec, R., MINNITI, D., Kubiak, dimensional interstellar extinction X. A new multi-year, multi-observa- M., Szymanski, M., Poleski, R., map toward the Galactic Bulge, tory campaign, Astronomy & Astrophy- Wyrzykowski, L., Ulaczyk, K., Pie- Astronomy & Astrophysics, 550A, 42C sics, 556, 120 (arXiv:1307:2898) trukowicz, P., Gorski, M., Karczma- (arXiv:1211.3092) Morelli, L., Calvi, V., Masetti, N., rek, P., (2013) An eclipsing binary di- Soto, M., Barba, R., Gunthardt, G., Parisi, P., Landi, R., Maiorano, E., stance to the Large Magellanic Cloud MINNITI, D., Lucas, P., Majaess, MINNITI, D., Galaz, G., (2013). accurate to 2 per cent, Nature, 495, 76 D., Irwin, M., Gonzalez-Solares, Stellar population properties for a (arXiv:1303.2063) E., Hempel, H., Gurovich, S., Ro- sample of hard X-ray AGNs, Astro- Bielby, R. M, Hill, M. D., Shanks, T., man-Lopes, A., Moni-Bidin, C., San- nomy & Astrophysics, 556, 135 (ar- Crighton, N. H. M., Infante, Bornan- tucho, M.V., Borissova, J., Kurtev, R., Xiv:1306.5759) cini, C., Francke, H., Heraudeau, P., Toledo, I., Geisler, D., Dominguez, Majaess, D., Sturch, L., Moni Bidin, Lambas, D. G., Metcalfe, N., Minniti, M., Beamin, J.C., (2013). Milky Way C., Soto, M. Gieren, W., Cohen, R., D., Padilla, N., Theuns, T., Tummuan- Demographics with the VVV Survey. Mauro, F., Geisler, D., Bonatto, C., gpak, P., Weilbacher, P., (2013). The II. Color Transformations for the Borissova, J., MINNITI, D., Turner, VLT LBG Redshift Survey III: Clu- VVV VISTA Survey in the Galactic D., Lane, D., Madore, B., Carraro, G., stering and Dynamics of Lyman Bre- Disk, Astronomy & Astrophysics, 552A, Berdnikov, L., (2013). Anchors for ak Galaxies at z~3, Monthly Notices 101S the Cosmic Distance Scale: the Ce- of the Royal Astronomical Society, 430, Chene, A.N., Borissova, J., Clarke, pheid QZ Normae in the Open Clu- 425B (arXiv:1204.3635) R.A., Bonatto, C., Majaess, D., Moni ster NGC 6067, Astrophysics & Space Gonzalez, O. A., Rejkuba, M., Zoc- Bidin, C., Sale, S.E., Mauro, F., Science, 347, 61 (arXiv:1305.3914) cali, M., Valenti, E., MINNITI, D., Kurtev, R., Baume, G., Feinstein, C., Kniazev, A.Y., Vaisanen, P., Mu- Tobar, R., (2013). Reddening and me- Ivanov, V.D., Geisler, D., Catelan, zic, K., Mehner, A., Boffin, H.M.J., tallicity maps of the Milky Way bulge M., MINNITI, D., Lucas, P.W., de Kurtev, R., Melo, C., Ivanov, V.D., from VVV and 2MASS - III. The Grijs, R., Kumar, M. S. N., Martins, Girard, J., Mawet, D., Schmidtobrei- first complete photometric metallicity F., Herve, A., Mahy, L., Bouret, J.- ck, L., Huelamo, N., Borissova, J., map of the Galactic bulge, Astronomy C., (2013). Massive open star clusters MINNITI, D., Ishibashi, K., Potter, & Astrophysics, 552A, 110G (ar- using the VVV survey. II. Discovery S.B., Beletsky, Y., Buckley, D.A.H., Xiv:1302.0243) of six clusters with Wolf-Rayet stars, Crawford, S., Gulbis, A.A.S., Kotze, Helminiak, K. G., Devor, J., MIN- Astronomy & Astrophysics, 549A, 98C P., Miszalski, B., Pickering, T.E., Ro- NITI, D., Sybilski, P., (2013). Tracing (arXiv:1211.2801) mero Colmenero, E., Williams, T.B., the structure of the Milky Way with Gonzalez, O. A., MINNITI, D., (2013) Characterization of the Near- detached eclipsing binaries from the Lucas, P.W., Rejkuba, M., Zoccali, by L/T Binary Brown Dwarf WISE VVV survey - I. The method and M., Valenti, E., Saito, R.K., Emer- J104915.57−531906.1 at 2 Parsecs initial results, Monthly Notices of the son, J., Toledo, I., Hempel, M., Tobar, from the Sun, The Astrophysical Jour- Royal Astronomical Society, 432, 2895 R., Catelan, M., (20139. The wide nal, 770, 124 (arXiv:1303.7171). (arXiv:1304.5255) view of the Galactic bulge as seen Arriagada, P., Anglada-Escude, G., Vasquez, S., Zoccali, M., Hill, V., by the VVV ESO Public Survey, The Butler, R. P., Crane, J. D., Shectman, Renzini, A., Gonzalez, O.A., Rejkuba, Messenger, 152, 23G S. A., Thompson, I. B., MINNITI, D., M., Baffico, M., Monelli, M., Motta, Alonso-Garcia, J., Catelan, M., (2013). Two planetary companions V., MINNITI, D., (2013). 3D kine- Mateo, M., MINNITI, D., (2013).

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 41 The inner Galactic globular clu- Review: “Thomas F. O’Meara, Vast sters, in 40th Liège International Universe: Extraterrestrials and Chri- Astrophysical Colloquium on Ageing stian Revelation,’’ Theology and Science Low Mass Stars: From Red Giants to 11, 77-79. White Dwarfs, Liège, Belgium, (Eds. STOEGER, W. R., (2013). “Ernan J. Montalbán, A. Noels, & V. Van McMullin on Contingency, Cosmic Grootel); EPJ Web of Conferences, Purpose, and the Atemporality of the Volume 43, id.02005. Creator,’’ Zygon 48, 329-337. Barnes, J.R., Jenkins, J.S., Jones, STOEGER, W. R., (2013). “Buil- H.R.A., Rojo, P., Arriagada, P., Jor- ding on the Legacy of George Le- dan, A., MINNITI, D., Tuomi, M., maître in Contemporary Cosmology” Jeffers, S.V., Pinfield, D., (2013). Red in George Lemaître: Life, Science and Optical Planet Survey: A radial ve- Legacy, Rocky D. Holderand and locity search for low mass M dwarf Simon Mitton, editors, Springer, pp. planets, in Hot Planets and Cool Stars, 97-111. Garching, Germany (Ed. R. Saglia), STOEGER, W. R., (2013). “Co- EPJ Web of Conferences, Volume smology, Evolution, Causality and 47, id.05002 Creation: The Limits, Compatibility Parisi, P., Masetti, N., Rojas, A.F., and Co-operation of Scientific and McBride, V., Steward, L., Bassani, Philosophical Methodologies,’’ in L., Bazzano, A., Bird, A.J., Charles, The Causal Universe, George Ellis, P.A., Chavushyan, A., Galaz, G., Michael Heller and Tadeusz Pabian, Jimenez-Bailon, E., Landi, R., Ma- editors, Copernicus Center Press, pp. lizia, A., Mason, E., MINNITI, D., Impey, C., Spitz, A. H., and STOE- Morelli, L., Palazzi, A., Stephen, J.B., GER, W. R., editors (2013). Encoun- Ubertini, P., (2013). Identification of tering Life in the Universe: Ethical newly-discovered sources belonging Foundations and Social Implications of to the 4th IBIS catalog and to the 54 Astrobiology, The University of Ari- months Palermo Swift/BAT catalog, zona Press, 269 pp. in Proceedings of Science (INTE- STOEGER, W. R., Impey, C., and GRAL 2012), Eds. A. Goldwurm, Spitz, A. H., (2013). “Astrobiology, F. Lebrun and C. Winkler, id 099 Ethics and Philosophy,’’ in Encoun- (arXiv:1302.6117) tering Life in the Universe: Ethical Foundations and Social Implications of Poggianti, B. M., Calvi, R., Bindo- Astrobiology, C. Impey, A. H. Spitz, ni, D., D’Onofrio, M., Moretti, A., and W. R. Stoeger, editors, The Uni- Valentinuzzi, T., Fasano, G., Fritz, I., versity of Arizona Press, pp. 1-16. De Lucia, G., Vulcani, B., Bettoni, STOEGER, W. R., (2013). “Astro- D., Gullieuszik, M., OMIZZOLO, biology and Beyond: From Science A., (2013). The intriguing life of mas- to Philosophy and Ethics,’’ in sive galaxies, Proceedings of the IAU Encountering Life in the Universe: S295: editors D. Thomas, A. Pasquali Ethical Foundations and Social Impli- & I. Ferreras cations of Astrobiology, C. Impey, A. Poggianti, B. M., Calvi, R., Bindo- H. Spitz, and W. R. Stoeger, editors, ni, D., D’Onofrio, M., Moretti, A., The University of Arizona Press, pp. Valentinuzzi, T., Fasano, G., Fritz, I., 56-79. De Lucia, G., Vulcani, B., Bettoni, Bolejko, K. and STOEGER, W. R., D., Gullieuszik, M., OMIZZO- (2013). “Intermediate homogeniza- LO, A., (2013). ApJ 762, 77; ar- tion of the Universe and the problem Xiv:1211.1005 of gravitational entropy,’’ Physical Re- view D 88, 063529; also available at STOEGER, W. R., (2013). Book arxiv:astro-ph/1309.5695

42 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 To honor the International Year of Astronomy in 2009, at the suggestion of Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, Emeri- tus President of the Governatorate of Vatican City State, the Vatican Obser- vatory prepared the coffee-table book The Heavens Proclaim describing our history and current research. Since that time, a number of translations have been published around the world, including versions in Italian, Spanish, and Arabic. The most recent to appear, in 2013, is a version in Slovak translated by Mária Hadjuková and VOSS 1997 alumnus Juraj Tóth.

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 43 Visitors

Visitors to the VO Headquarters in Ca- stel Gandolfo

To the edge of the universe: Pope Francis visits VO “To the outskirts of the universe: the VO welcomes Pope Francis”: This is one of a series of messages tweeted just before Pope Francis arrived at the VO on Sunday, July 14, 2013, just four months after his election. He was accompanied by Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Go- vernatorate of Vatican City State.

The very special visit of Pope Francis to one of the world’s oldest astronomical research institutions evoked excitement among VO staff, not least because they were welcoming a fel- low Jesuit. Pope Francis stopped to have lunch with the Community and afterwards signed the same parchment that bears the signatures of all of his predecessors from Pope Pius XI to Pope emeritus Benedict XVI.

The Pontiff viewed some of the ancient texts that the Observatory holds in custody, the most precious among them being a copy of the book of Copernicus’ De revolutio- nibus and Isaac Newton’s Principia. Pope Francis was also shown a copy of the reform of the Gregorian calendar and Father Clavius’ Tables on the reform. The Pope also visited the meteorites laboratory, where the curator, Br. CONSOLMAGNO, had a surprise waiting for him beneath a microscope: a meteorite that fell in the Pope’s native city of Buenos Aires.

He also had a very clear message for the astronomers in their work at the VO, the same message he has insi- MAJ and FUNES give the Holy Father, Pope Francis, a guided tour of the VO headquarters. sted on since the beginning of his The Pope is accompanied by H.E. Cardinal G. Bertello. pontificate: the need to go out to the peripheries, not just geographical but

44 Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 also existential, of today’s world. VO headquarters and domes in the Papal Apostolic Summer palace in VO director, Fr. FUNES, commen- Castel Gandolfo on behalf of the ted that their mission at the VO is Centro de Observación Astronómico precisely this, even if their idea of de Misiones, Argentina. ‘peripheries’ are slightly further away and take in the entire universe. “In The following people also paid wor- a sense we go back to the very start king visits to the VO headquarters: because we explore the beginning of Ellen Howell and Michael Nolan, the universe from the scientific point Arecibo National Radio Telescope; of view, but we also move forward, Joseph Harrington, University of looking outwards, because we also Central Florida; Daniel Britt, Uni- study the most distant galaxies. versity of Central Florida; Bradley This work places us in daily contact Schaefer, Louisiana State University; with the questions that both science William Higgins, Fermi National and faith arouse. I think this is the Accelerator Laboratory; Stephen Observatory’s mission: to go out Collins, Jet Propulsion Laboratory towards these distant peripheries, the and Robert Zellem, University of peripheries of this universe, which is Arizona. always a gift from God”. From August 12 to 17, Dr. Franco A tour of the Pontifical Gardens in Pezzella, INFN-Section of Naples, Castel Gandolfo was given to The visited for research collaboration. Prince and Grand Master of the Or- From July 29 to August 3, Dr. Mat- der of Malta, Fra’ Matthew Festing, teo Galaverni, seminarian of the along with his retinue on April 17, Reggio Emilia diocese, visited the 2013. VO to work, under the supervision of GIONTI, on some issues concer- Dr. Elizabeth Green and Dr. Chri- ning the hypothesis of Multiverses in stopher Collins, astronomers at and cosmology and its consequences for from the University of Arizona, theology. On August 1, he gave a se- Tucson, visited the VO headquarters, minar on cosmic rays, which was the Pontifical Gardens, and domes in the topic of his Ph.D. thesis. Papal Apostolic Summer Palace in Castel Gandolfo on October 7, 2013. Visitors to the Vatican Observatory Research Group and VATT Tucson Scientific and Academic visits to the The following visited the Vatican VO headquarters in Castel Gandolfo Observatory Research Group and Father Agustín Udías S.J., author of VATT in Tucson: C. Bayu Risanto, the book “Searching the Heavens S.J., from Creighton University; and the Earth: the History of Jesuit Claudio Costa from Rome; Richard Observatories”, was working with Gray from Appalachian State Uni- the archive of the VO. He was inve- versity, NC, and Jon Saken from stigating in the archive of the Obser- Marshall University, WV. vatory the correspondence between the first director Jesuit Father Johan G. Hagen and other directors of Je- suit Observatories.

Dr. Gumersindo Meiriño Fernández from Spain and Dr. María Benetti Meiriño from Argentina visited the

Vatican Observatory - Annual Report 2013 45

The 20th Anniversary of VATT September 18, 2013, marked the 20th anniversary of the dedication for the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT) atop Mount Graham, Arizona, built and maintained through the generosity of the many donors to the Vatican Observatory Foundation, most notably Mr. Fred A. Lennon and Mr. Thomas J. Bannan.