The Vatican Observatory Podcast Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:03:05 -0400 https://www.buzzsprout.com/1761480 en-us © 2026 The Vatican Observatory Podcast yes ca82cfbf-db86-5881-8037-f68fc32c3b4b Vatican Observatory episodic false Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Vatican Observatory https://storage.buzzsprout.com/i5fg9rf8m1l31xei2gj6vr7xh2g4?.jpg The Vatican Observatory Podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/1761480 Eclectic Astronomer - A Chat With Cliff Stoll Eclectic Astronomer - A Chat With Cliff Stoll Br. Guy Consolmagno chats with Cliff Stoll - astronomer, teacher and author of the book The Cuckoo’s Egg, which tells the story of how he tracked down a group of German hackers working for the Soviet KGB in 1986. Cliff is also a long-time buddy of Br. Guy.

Co-Hosts:
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley: Factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Guest:
Cliff Stoll is an astronomer, author, and teacher known for tracking down a group of German hackers working for the Soviet KGB in 1986.

As a systems administrator at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, while working on the development of the Keck Telescope, Stoll pursued a 75-cent accounting hiccup, ultimately uncovering a major security breach. His book, The Cuckoo’s Egg, details this investigation and became a bestseller.

The 1990 PBS NOVA video: The KGB, The Computer and Me – The Cuckoo’s Egg Story is available on a couple channels on YouTube – it’s hilarious!

Stoll’s work significantly contributed to early cybersecurity awareness.

Stoll is also known for creating and selling glass Klein bottles

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio
Finale music:  Cinematic Documentary by Lexin_Music

]]> Br. Guy Consolmagno chats with Cliff Stoll - astronomer, teacher and author of the book The Cuckoo’s Egg, which tells the story of how he tracked down a group of German hackers working for the Soviet KGB in 1986. Cliff is also a long-time buddy of Br. Guy.

Co-Hosts:
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley: Factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Guest:
Cliff Stoll is an astronomer, author, and teacher known for tracking down a group of German hackers working for the Soviet KGB in 1986.

As a systems administrator at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, while working on the development of the Keck Telescope, Stoll pursued a 75-cent accounting hiccup, ultimately uncovering a major security breach. His book, The Cuckoo’s Egg, details this investigation and became a bestseller.

The 1990 PBS NOVA video: The KGB, The Computer and Me – The Cuckoo’s Egg Story is available on a couple channels on YouTube – it’s hilarious!

Stoll’s work significantly contributed to early cybersecurity awareness.

Stoll is also known for creating and selling glass Klein bottles

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio
Finale music:  Cinematic Documentary by Lexin_Music

]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-18091081 Wed, 29 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0400 3114 Cliff Stoll, astronomy, Br. Guy Consolmagno, Vatican Observatory, hacker, KGB, Klein bottle 5 3 full false Meet The New Boss! Meet The New Boss! Br. Guy Consolmagno chats with Rev. Richard A. D'Souza - the incoming Director of the Vatican Observatory! He takes the reins from Br. Guy on September 19, 2025.

Co-Hosts:
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley: Factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Guest:
Rev. Richard A. D'Souza, Sj was born in 1978 in Pune, India and hails from Goa, India. His initial school years were spent in Kuwait. From 1990, he moved back to his home state of Goa, India and joined a Jesuit school.

After finishing his schooling, he entered the Society of Jesus in 1996, and finished his two years novitiate in Belgaum, India. This was followed by a year of study of the humanities (Juniorate) in Pune. In 2002, he completed his graduation in Physics at St.Xaviers' college in Mumbai and proceeded for his Masters in Physics to the University of Heidelberg, where he worked at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy for his thesis work.

He returned to Pune in 2005 to complete a Bachelors degree in Philosophy. In 2007, he founded and ran the St. Paul's Community College in Belgaum to help school dropouts find gainful employment. After finishing his Bachelors in Theology in 2011 in Pune, he retuned to Goa and ran a popular theology programme for the laity called "Deepen Your Faith".

In 2012, he started his doctoral studies in Astronomy at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, in Garching, Munich, graduating in 2016. In 2016, he formally joined the staff of the Vatican Observatory as well started at the same time a postdoc at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. In 2019, he moved to the headquarters of the Vatican Observatory in Castel Gandolfo. Since 2022, he has been serving as the Superior of the Jesuit community attached to the Vatican Observatory.

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/
Follow Rev. D'Souza on Bluesky.

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio
Finale music:  Cinematic Documentary by Lexin_Music

]]> Br. Guy Consolmagno chats with Rev. Richard A. D'Souza - the incoming Director of the Vatican Observatory! He takes the reins from Br. Guy on September 19, 2025.

Co-Hosts:
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley: Factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Guest:
Rev. Richard A. D'Souza, Sj was born in 1978 in Pune, India and hails from Goa, India. His initial school years were spent in Kuwait. From 1990, he moved back to his home state of Goa, India and joined a Jesuit school.

After finishing his schooling, he entered the Society of Jesus in 1996, and finished his two years novitiate in Belgaum, India. This was followed by a year of study of the humanities (Juniorate) in Pune. In 2002, he completed his graduation in Physics at St.Xaviers' college in Mumbai and proceeded for his Masters in Physics to the University of Heidelberg, where he worked at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy for his thesis work.

He returned to Pune in 2005 to complete a Bachelors degree in Philosophy. In 2007, he founded and ran the St. Paul's Community College in Belgaum to help school dropouts find gainful employment. After finishing his Bachelors in Theology in 2011 in Pune, he retuned to Goa and ran a popular theology programme for the laity called "Deepen Your Faith".

In 2012, he started his doctoral studies in Astronomy at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, in Garching, Munich, graduating in 2016. In 2016, he formally joined the staff of the Vatican Observatory as well started at the same time a postdoc at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. In 2019, he moved to the headquarters of the Vatican Observatory in Castel Gandolfo. Since 2022, he has been serving as the Superior of the Jesuit community attached to the Vatican Observatory.

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/
Follow Rev. D'Souza on Bluesky.

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio
Finale music:  Cinematic Documentary by Lexin_Music

]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-17822028 Wed, 10 Sep 2025 12:00:00 -0400 2431 Vatican Observatory, Br. Guy Consolmagno, Space, Religion, Astronomy, Rev. Richard A. D'Souza, 5 2 full false An Anthropologist at the Vatican Observatory An Anthropologist at the Vatican Observatory Br. Guy Consolmagno chats with Dr. Deana L. Weibel - a cultural anthropologist whose work focuses primarily on religion, especially the topics of pilgrimage, sacred space, the mutual influence of scientific and religious ideas on each other, and religion and space exploration. 

She spoke to us on those topics… and science fiction movies, as well!

Co-Hosts:
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley: Factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Guest:
Dr. Deana L. Weibel:  A Space Anthropologist and Anthropologist of Religion.

She spent a month in 2019 at the Vatican Observatory, studying "the Pope's Astronomers;" from mid-March to mid-April 2019, where she conducted ethnographic research including interviews, attended daily activities and events, and got to know the astronomers and staff.

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/
Follow Deana on: Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In and Bluesky.

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio
Finale music:  Cinematic Documentary by Lexin_Music

]]> Br. Guy Consolmagno chats with Dr. Deana L. Weibel - a cultural anthropologist whose work focuses primarily on religion, especially the topics of pilgrimage, sacred space, the mutual influence of scientific and religious ideas on each other, and religion and space exploration. 

She spoke to us on those topics… and science fiction movies, as well!

Co-Hosts:
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley: Factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Guest:
Dr. Deana L. Weibel:  A Space Anthropologist and Anthropologist of Religion.

She spent a month in 2019 at the Vatican Observatory, studying "the Pope's Astronomers;" from mid-March to mid-April 2019, where she conducted ethnographic research including interviews, attended daily activities and events, and got to know the astronomers and staff.

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/
Follow Deana on: Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In and Bluesky.

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio
Finale music:  Cinematic Documentary by Lexin_Music

]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-16876107 Fri, 28 Mar 2025 11:00:00 -0400 1931 Vatican Observatory, Br. Guy Consolmagno, Dr. Deana L. Weibel, Deana Weibel, Roger That, Anthropologist, Anthropology, Space, Astronauts, Religion 5 1 full false Steeped in Science Steeped in Science Br. Guy Consolmagno chats with Dr. Michelle Francl about her book  Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea, which explores the chemistry behind different styles of tea. The book caused quite a stir with various international news agencies - and a virtual firestorm in Britain.

Dr. Francl was also a guest for the Vatican Observatory podcast in Dec. of 2021 with an episode named: A Taste for Heavy Water.

Hosts:
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley: Factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Guest:
Dr. Michelle Francl: The Frank B. Mallory Professor of Chemistry at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, and an Adjunct Scholar for the Vatican Observatory.

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/
Michelle's Blog: https://quantumtheology.blogspot.com/

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio
Finale music:  Cinematic Documentary by Lexin_Music

]]> Br. Guy Consolmagno chats with Dr. Michelle Francl about her book  Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea, which explores the chemistry behind different styles of tea. The book caused quite a stir with various international news agencies - and a virtual firestorm in Britain.

Dr. Francl was also a guest for the Vatican Observatory podcast in Dec. of 2021 with an episode named: A Taste for Heavy Water.

Hosts:
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley: Factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Guest:
Dr. Michelle Francl: The Frank B. Mallory Professor of Chemistry at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, and an Adjunct Scholar for the Vatican Observatory.

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/
Michelle's Blog: https://quantumtheology.blogspot.com/

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio
Finale music:  Cinematic Documentary by Lexin_Music

]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-15265772 Mon, 17 Jun 2024 17:00:00 -0400 2834 Tea, Steeped, Vatican Observatory, Science, Chemistry 4 2 full false Man on a Mission (or two) Man on a Mission (or two) Br. Guy Consolmagno chats with Br. Bob Macke about being a team member of two asteroid missions:  the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission, and the Lucy mission to the Trojan asteroids.

Hosts:
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley: Factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Guest:
Br. Bob Macke, SJ: Curator of meteorites at the Vatican Observatory

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/
Macke Makerspace: https://www.youtube.com/@MackeMakerSpace
GaliLEGO Stop-Motion video: [Link]

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio
Finale music:  Cinematic Documentary by Lexin_Music

]]> Br. Guy Consolmagno chats with Br. Bob Macke about being a team member of two asteroid missions:  the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission, and the Lucy mission to the Trojan asteroids.

Hosts:
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley: Factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Guest:
Br. Bob Macke, SJ: Curator of meteorites at the Vatican Observatory

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/
Macke Makerspace: https://www.youtube.com/@MackeMakerSpace
GaliLEGO Stop-Motion video: [Link]

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio
Finale music:  Cinematic Documentary by Lexin_Music

]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-14473827 Fri, 09 Feb 2024 14:00:00 -0500 1823 Astronomy, Space science, Br. Bob Macke, Asteroids, OSIRIS-REx, Sample Return 4 1 full false From Humble Beginnings From Humble Beginnings Br. Guy Consolmagno chats with Charles F. Bolden Jr. during the 30th anniversary celebration of 'first light' into the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope.

Hosts:
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley: Factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Guest:
Charles F. Bolden Jr.: Marine Corps Major General (retired), space shuttle astronaut and former NASA Administrator,

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio
Finale music:  Cinematic Documentary by Lexin_Music

]]> Br. Guy Consolmagno chats with Charles F. Bolden Jr. during the 30th anniversary celebration of 'first light' into the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope.

Hosts:
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley: Factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Guest:
Charles F. Bolden Jr.: Marine Corps Major General (retired), space shuttle astronaut and former NASA Administrator,

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio
Finale music:  Cinematic Documentary by Lexin_Music

]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-13809259 Thu, 19 Oct 2023 16:00:00 -0400 2389 Astronomy, Space, Science, Vatican, Observatory, Education, Specola, VATT, Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope, Charles F. Bolden Jr., NASA, Space Shuttle, 3 4 full false My Time at the Vatican Observatory Summer School My Time at the Vatican Observatory Summer School Matthew Pinson SJ is a young Jesuit scientist from Australia. He was one of the students at the 2023 Vatican Observatory Summer School held in Rome during June. Hear what it was like to be a student at the school, and how Matthew’s journey took him from a farm in Australia to a doctorate at MIT, then the Jesuits, and finally to the Vatican!

Hosts:
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley: Factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Guests:
Matthew Pinson SJ

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio
Finale music:  Cinematic Documentary by Lexin_Music

]]> Matthew Pinson SJ is a young Jesuit scientist from Australia. He was one of the students at the 2023 Vatican Observatory Summer School held in Rome during June. Hear what it was like to be a student at the school, and how Matthew’s journey took him from a farm in Australia to a doctorate at MIT, then the Jesuits, and finally to the Vatican!

Hosts:
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley: Factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Guests:
Matthew Pinson SJ

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio
Finale music:  Cinematic Documentary by Lexin_Music

]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-13193082 Mon, 10 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0400 2364 Astronomy, Space, Science, Vatican, Vatican Observatory, Summer School, Big Data, AI, Machine Learning 3 3 full false Roundtable with Vatican Observatory Staff Roundtable with Vatican Observatory Staff This podcast was taken from the Full Moon Meetup on Friday, January 6, 2023. To begin the year, we had a roundtable discussion with several members of the Vatican Observatory staff. We covered everything from Befana, the Italian Epiphany witch, to the 30th anniversary of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT),  and the year ahead.

Hosts:
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley: Factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Guests:
Fr. Paul Gabor: Vice Director of the Vatican Observatory and Vice Director for the Vatican Observatory Research Group (Tucson)
Dr. Larry Lebofsky: Senior Education and Communication Specialist - Planetary Science Institute (retired); Asteroid hunter.
Chris Kennedy: Executive Director of Development for the Vatican Observatory Foundation
Katie Steinke: Development Committee Chair for the Vatican Observatory Foundation

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio 

]]> This podcast was taken from the Full Moon Meetup on Friday, January 6, 2023. To begin the year, we had a roundtable discussion with several members of the Vatican Observatory staff. We covered everything from Befana, the Italian Epiphany witch, to the 30th anniversary of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT),  and the year ahead.

Hosts:
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley: Factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Guests:
Fr. Paul Gabor: Vice Director of the Vatican Observatory and Vice Director for the Vatican Observatory Research Group (Tucson)
Dr. Larry Lebofsky: Senior Education and Communication Specialist - Planetary Science Institute (retired); Asteroid hunter.
Chris Kennedy: Executive Director of Development for the Vatican Observatory Foundation
Katie Steinke: Development Committee Chair for the Vatican Observatory Foundation

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio 

]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-12882782 Fri, 19 May 2023 16:00:00 -0400 2246 Astronomy, Space science, Outreach, Leap Second, TNO, Asteroids, Orbital Elements 3 2 full false Sketcher of the Skies Sketcher of the Skies What spurs an artist to start sketching celestial objects as they look in her small telescope? What thrills her the most? Is it seeing the fine details of nebulae through large telescopes? Sketching the Moon's slowly changing terminator and Sun's prominences? Working with children - helping them understand the night sky, and awakening their curiosity in science? 

Deirdre Kelleghan is an astronomical artist, living in western Ireland, under incredibly dark skies. With an eye to the telescope, she sketches the beauty of the cosmos, and through her outreach, she teaches others how to do the same.

Deirdre is a former President of the Irish Astronomical Society, and is the current Outreach / Vice Chair of the Irish Federation of Astronomical Societies; she has been interviewed on TV, radio and podcasts about her outreach activities. She is also a Sacred Space Astronomy author, and frequently posts her artwork on the Vatican Observatory website.

 Guests:
- Deirdre Kelleghan:  Astronomer, astronomical artist, educator and Sacred Space Astronomy author.
- Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Deirdre 's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@skysketcher1
Deirdre's website: http://www.deirdrekelleghan.net/
Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio 

]]> What spurs an artist to start sketching celestial objects as they look in her small telescope? What thrills her the most? Is it seeing the fine details of nebulae through large telescopes? Sketching the Moon's slowly changing terminator and Sun's prominences? Working with children - helping them understand the night sky, and awakening their curiosity in science? 

Deirdre Kelleghan is an astronomical artist, living in western Ireland, under incredibly dark skies. With an eye to the telescope, she sketches the beauty of the cosmos, and through her outreach, she teaches others how to do the same.

Deirdre is a former President of the Irish Astronomical Society, and is the current Outreach / Vice Chair of the Irish Federation of Astronomical Societies; she has been interviewed on TV, radio and podcasts about her outreach activities. She is also a Sacred Space Astronomy author, and frequently posts her artwork on the Vatican Observatory website.

 Guests:
- Deirdre Kelleghan:  Astronomer, astronomical artist, educator and Sacred Space Astronomy author.
- Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Deirdre 's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@skysketcher1
Deirdre's website: http://www.deirdrekelleghan.net/
Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio 

]]> Buzzsprout-11964828 Mon, 02 Jan 2023 11:00:00 -0500 2404 Astronomy, Space science, Outreach, Artwork, Artist 3 1 full false From Voyager to Webb: Heidi Hammel and the Ice Giants From Voyager to Webb: Heidi Hammel and the Ice Giants So, how many people do you know who have had a children’s book written about them? Dr. Heidi Hammel gained international fame in 1994 by leading the Hubble Space Telescope Team that imaged Jupiter during the impacts of Comet Shoemaker Levy 9, but in fact her main research has focused on the “ice giant” planets, Uranus and Neptune. Her ground-based telescope observations were crucial to interpreting the Voyager spacecraft flyby images, and she now helps direct planetary observations with the Webb Space Telescope. 

Guests:
Dr. Heidi Hammel - Vice President for Science for the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), and an Interdisciplinary Scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope.
- Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ - Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio

]]> So, how many people do you know who have had a children’s book written about them? Dr. Heidi Hammel gained international fame in 1994 by leading the Hubble Space Telescope Team that imaged Jupiter during the impacts of Comet Shoemaker Levy 9, but in fact her main research has focused on the “ice giant” planets, Uranus and Neptune. Her ground-based telescope observations were crucial to interpreting the Voyager spacecraft flyby images, and she now helps direct planetary observations with the Webb Space Telescope. 

Guests:
Dr. Heidi Hammel - Vice President for Science for the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), and an Interdisciplinary Scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope.
- Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ - Director of Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/

Intro music: Irreducible by ComaStudio

]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-11567831 Tue, 25 Oct 2022 16:00:00 -0400 2859 Astronomy, Space, Science, Vatican, Observatory, Education, Specola, Shoemaker Levy 9, Hubble Space Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope 2 7 full false Deep Roots Deep Roots Have you ever met one of those people who just seems to know everyone? Our guest, Katie Steinke is one of those people. Katie and her family have been involved with Specola astronomers for decades, and from those deep roots grew the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope. Hear Katie's story...

Guests:
Katie Steinke - former development director of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley - podcast host and internet factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

]]> Have you ever met one of those people who just seems to know everyone? Our guest, Katie Steinke is one of those people. Katie and her family have been involved with Specola astronomers for decades, and from those deep roots grew the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope. Hear Katie's story...

Guests:
Katie Steinke - former development director of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
Bob Trembley - podcast host and internet factotum for the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

]]> https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/general/deep-roots/ Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-11445317 Wed, 05 Oct 2022 16:00:00 -0400 2254 Astronomy, Space, Science, Vatican, Observatory, Education, Specola 2 6 full false From Sparkling Water to Dark Matter From Sparkling Water to Dark Matter The most famous product of San Pellegrino, Italy, is its sparkling water. But from this same village in the north of Italy has come a PhD scientist working on detecting the most elusive ingredients of the universe… and hoping for a chance to fly, herself, in space. Hear Dr. Maria Elena Monzani’s story...

Guests:
- Dr. Maria Elena Monzani, a Lead Scientist at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, and an adjunct scholar for the Vatican Observatory.
- Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ, Director of Vatican Observatory 

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/

]]> The most famous product of San Pellegrino, Italy, is its sparkling water. But from this same village in the north of Italy has come a PhD scientist working on detecting the most elusive ingredients of the universe… and hoping for a chance to fly, herself, in space. Hear Dr. Maria Elena Monzani’s story...

Guests:
- Dr. Maria Elena Monzani, a Lead Scientist at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, and an adjunct scholar for the Vatican Observatory.
- Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ, Director of Vatican Observatory 

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/

]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-11195150 Wed, 24 Aug 2022 06:00:00 -0400 2326 Astronomy, Space, Science, Vatican Observatory, Dark Matter 2 5 full false The Stuff of Stars The Stuff of Stars Brother Bob Macke SJ is the curator of meteorites at the Vatican Observatory, and during his research measuring meteorite physical properties he has probably handled as many rocks from outer space as anyone alive today. Other astronomers may claim to study stars and planets, but mostly all they touch are photons; Bob has handled actual stuff from space, from stellar dust at Washington University in St. Louis to moon rocks at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. 

Guests: 
- Br. Bob Macke SJ, curator of meteorites at the Vatican Observatory 
- Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ, Director of Vatican Observatory 

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/
Macke Makerspace: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-bQglO9a23_blS0yiVMqDA

]]> Brother Bob Macke SJ is the curator of meteorites at the Vatican Observatory, and during his research measuring meteorite physical properties he has probably handled as many rocks from outer space as anyone alive today. Other astronomers may claim to study stars and planets, but mostly all they touch are photons; Bob has handled actual stuff from space, from stellar dust at Washington University in St. Louis to moon rocks at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. 

Guests: 
- Br. Bob Macke SJ, curator of meteorites at the Vatican Observatory 
- Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ, Director of Vatican Observatory 

Vatican Observatory website: https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/
Macke Makerspace: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-bQglO9a23_blS0yiVMqDA

]]> https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/podcast/ Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-10889460 Fri, 01 Jul 2022 09:00:00 -0400 1974 Astronomy, Space, Science, Vatican, Observatory, Museum, Meteorite 2 4 full false Ambassador to the Universe Ambassador to the Universe Meet Bill Higgins. By day, he's one of the scientists who keeps the Fermilab National Accelerator running safe, as it pummels the smallest particles in the universe. But in his free time he’s a techie storyteller of big things and big ideas: a NASA Solar System Ambassador, a researcher of esoteric technology from rocket belts to Jacquard looms, and an explorer of how we tell the story of our scientific society.

Guests:

Bill Higgins: Radiation Safety Physicist at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab)
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory, President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Read Bill's "From the cabinet of physics" series on the Vatican Observatory website:
https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/series/from-the-cabinet-of-physics/

Sacred Space Astronomy Posts on the Vatican Observatory Website:
https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/category/sacred-space-astronomy/

]]> Meet Bill Higgins. By day, he's one of the scientists who keeps the Fermilab National Accelerator running safe, as it pummels the smallest particles in the universe. But in his free time he’s a techie storyteller of big things and big ideas: a NASA Solar System Ambassador, a researcher of esoteric technology from rocket belts to Jacquard looms, and an explorer of how we tell the story of our scientific society.

Guests:

Bill Higgins: Radiation Safety Physicist at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab)
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ: Director of Vatican Observatory, President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

Read Bill's "From the cabinet of physics" series on the Vatican Observatory website:
https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/series/from-the-cabinet-of-physics/

Sacred Space Astronomy Posts on the Vatican Observatory Website:
https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/category/sacred-space-astronomy/

]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-10473475 Wed, 20 Apr 2022 13:00:00 -0400 2182 Astronomy, Space science, Outreach, Volunteer NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador 2 3 full false On a Spiral Path to the Milky Way On a Spiral Path to the Milky Way When she was a young girl growing up in southern Chile, Gabriela Navarro had many dreams… from being a volleyball player to being an astronaut. 

In this podcast, we'll follow the spiral path of now-Doctor Navarro that has brought her to studying the structure and formation of the Milky Way and its galactic bulge with the James Webb Space Telescope in Rome… via the 2018 Vatican Observatory Summer School (VOSS), and the 2019 SuperVOSS (which she helped organize!)

Guests:

Dr. Gabriela Navarro
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ, Director of Vatican Observatory, President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

]]> When she was a young girl growing up in southern Chile, Gabriela Navarro had many dreams… from being a volleyball player to being an astronaut. 

In this podcast, we'll follow the spiral path of now-Doctor Navarro that has brought her to studying the structure and formation of the Milky Way and its galactic bulge with the James Webb Space Telescope in Rome… via the 2018 Vatican Observatory Summer School (VOSS), and the 2019 SuperVOSS (which she helped organize!)

Guests:

Dr. Gabriela Navarro
Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ, Director of Vatican Observatory, President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.

]]> https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/sacred-space-astronomy/on-a-spiral-path-to-the-milky-way/ Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-10212165 Tue, 08 Mar 2022 13:00:00 -0500 1896 Astronomy, Milky Way, Research, 2 2 full false The Chaotic Path of a Climate Modeler The Chaotic Path of a Climate Modeler How does a young Indonesian boy from a half Muslim, half Christian family wind up as a Jesuit scientist-priest in Arizona, modeling the tropical climates of northern Mexico and Saudi Arabia, while celebrating Mass for Native Americans… and keeping his fellow Jesuits well fed with his cooking skills? Meet Fr. Christoforus Bayu Risanto! Dr. Bayu defended his doctorate in meteorology at the University of Arizona last fall, where he's now continuing his research as a postdoctoral fellow.

Guests:

  • Fr. Christoforus Bayu Risanto SJ
  • Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ, Director of Vatican Observatory, President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
]]> How does a young Indonesian boy from a half Muslim, half Christian family wind up as a Jesuit scientist-priest in Arizona, modeling the tropical climates of northern Mexico and Saudi Arabia, while celebrating Mass for Native Americans… and keeping his fellow Jesuits well fed with his cooking skills? Meet Fr. Christoforus Bayu Risanto! Dr. Bayu defended his doctorate in meteorology at the University of Arizona last fall, where he's now continuing his research as a postdoctoral fellow.

Guests:

  • Fr. Christoforus Bayu Risanto SJ
  • Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ, Director of Vatican Observatory, President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.
]]> https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/sacred-space-astronomy/the-chaotic-path-of-a-climate-modeler/ Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-9931721 Sat, 22 Jan 2022 10:00:00 -0500 1628 2 1 full false A Taste for Heavy Water A Taste for Heavy Water Dr. Michelle Francl puts her own twist on combinations that most people might think are impossible. In this podcast she tells Br Guy Consolmagno about how the Sisters of Loreto in the small town where she grew up encouraged a love of science fiction that eventually led to her to a PhD with Nobel Laureate F. Sherwood Roland; about heavy-duty computational quantum chemistry and the taste of heavy water; about her articles for Nature Chemistry and for the Liturgical Press.

Guests:

  • Dr. Michelle Francl, professor of Chemistry at Bryn Mawr College and Adjunct Scholar of the Vatican Observatory
  • Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of Vatican Observatory
]]> Dr. Michelle Francl puts her own twist on combinations that most people might think are impossible. In this podcast she tells Br Guy Consolmagno about how the Sisters of Loreto in the small town where she grew up encouraged a love of science fiction that eventually led to her to a PhD with Nobel Laureate F. Sherwood Roland; about heavy-duty computational quantum chemistry and the taste of heavy water; about her articles for Nature Chemistry and for the Liturgical Press.

Guests:

  • Dr. Michelle Francl, professor of Chemistry at Bryn Mawr College and Adjunct Scholar of the Vatican Observatory
  • Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of Vatican Observatory
]]> https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/general/a-taste-for-heavy-water/ Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-9680594 Tue, 07 Dec 2021 15:00:00 -0500 1965 1 11 full false How to Make an Impact: From Crater Science to Public Outreach How to Make an Impact: From Crater Science to Public Outreach Prof. Dr. Christian Koeberl has had a fascinating career in planetary sciences. An expert in how planetary impacts make craters, he served for ten years as the director of the Natural History Museum of Vienna, one of the most important natural history museums in Europe.

Today, Dr. Koeberl is the Chair in Impact Research and Planetary Geology at the University of Vienna.

In this episode of the Vatican Observatory podcast, Dr. Koeberl joins Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of the Vatican Observatory, and host Bob Trembley to discuss the wide dimensions of his work, from impact craters, to meteorite strikes, to the public understanding of natural history.

Guests:

  • Christian Koeberl, former director of the Natural History Museum of Vienna.
  • Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of Vatican Observatory


]]> Prof. Dr. Christian Koeberl has had a fascinating career in planetary sciences. An expert in how planetary impacts make craters, he served for ten years as the director of the Natural History Museum of Vienna, one of the most important natural history museums in Europe.

Today, Dr. Koeberl is the Chair in Impact Research and Planetary Geology at the University of Vienna.

In this episode of the Vatican Observatory podcast, Dr. Koeberl joins Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of the Vatican Observatory, and host Bob Trembley to discuss the wide dimensions of his work, from impact craters, to meteorite strikes, to the public understanding of natural history.

Guests:

  • Christian Koeberl, former director of the Natural History Museum of Vienna.
  • Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of Vatican Observatory


]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-8948537 Fri, 30 Jul 2021 11:00:00 -0400 1977 1 10 full false Space and the Middle-Schooler Space and the Middle-Schooler What do kids today think about astronomy and space travel? And how do they think differently about these topics compared to kids 40 years ago? 


In this episode of the Vatican Observatory podcast, longtime middle school astronomy teacher Constance Martin-Trembley joins Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of the Vatican Observatory, and host Bob Trembley to discuss the changing landscape of astronomy youth education.


Guests:

  • Constance Martin-Trembley, Middle School Science Teacher
  • Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of Vatican Observatory
]]> What do kids today think about astronomy and space travel? And how do they think differently about these topics compared to kids 40 years ago? 


In this episode of the Vatican Observatory podcast, longtime middle school astronomy teacher Constance Martin-Trembley joins Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of the Vatican Observatory, and host Bob Trembley to discuss the changing landscape of astronomy youth education.


Guests:

  • Constance Martin-Trembley, Middle School Science Teacher
  • Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of Vatican Observatory
]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-8936637 Wed, 28 Jul 2021 06:00:00 -0400 1880 Vatican Observatory, Astronomy, Education 1 9 full false Black Holes Black Holes On this episode of the Vatican Observatory Podcast, a pioneer in black hole imaging, Prof. Dr. Heino Falcke joins Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of the Vatican Observatory, and host Bob Trembley for a conversation to discuss his new book Light in the Darkness: Black Holes, the Universe, and Us, his trailblazing work on black hole imaging, and the intersection of faith and science.

Dr. Falcke is a professor of radio astronomy and astroparticle physics at the Radboud University Nijmegen, as well as the winner of the 2011 Spinoza Prize. Famously, he is known as the originator of the concept of the 'black hole shadow'. 


Guests:

  • Heino Falcke, 
  • Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of Vatican Observatory


Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opfb0ieCcSs 

]]> On this episode of the Vatican Observatory Podcast, a pioneer in black hole imaging, Prof. Dr. Heino Falcke joins Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of the Vatican Observatory, and host Bob Trembley for a conversation to discuss his new book Light in the Darkness: Black Holes, the Universe, and Us, his trailblazing work on black hole imaging, and the intersection of faith and science.

Dr. Falcke is a professor of radio astronomy and astroparticle physics at the Radboud University Nijmegen, as well as the winner of the 2011 Spinoza Prize. Famously, he is known as the originator of the concept of the 'black hole shadow'. 


Guests:

  • Heino Falcke, 
  • Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of Vatican Observatory


Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opfb0ieCcSs 

]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-8868314 Thu, 15 Jul 2021 07:00:00 -0400 1857 1 8 full false On the Fly - How to drive a spacecraft On the Fly - How to drive a spacecraft How does a spacecraft get designed and built? How do you maneuver a spacecraft to make sure it gets where it’s going? What’s it mean to work on “Mars time”? In this episode, Steve Collins, Senior Engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), joins Bob Trembley and Br. Guy Consolmagno to answer these questions and more about what it takes to create a spacecraft that can go where humans can’t. 

Guests:

  • Steve Collins, Senior Engineer, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  • Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of Vatican Observatory
]]> How does a spacecraft get designed and built? How do you maneuver a spacecraft to make sure it gets where it’s going? What’s it mean to work on “Mars time”? In this episode, Steve Collins, Senior Engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), joins Bob Trembley and Br. Guy Consolmagno to answer these questions and more about what it takes to create a spacecraft that can go where humans can’t. 

Guests:

  • Steve Collins, Senior Engineer, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  • Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of Vatican Observatory
]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-8812832 Mon, 05 Jul 2021 06:00:00 -0400 1682 Vatican Observatory, Spacecraft, Space Exploration 1 7 full false Galileo: The Real Story (Part 2) Galileo: The Real Story (Part 2) Galileo was not only a great scientist, but a great philosopher of science. And yet, he was a man who sometimes contradicted his own philosophy. In this episode, Br. Guy and Chris Graney continue their discussion of the real story of Galileo and how science and history textbooks alike often get it wrong. 

Guests:

  • Chris Graney, historian of 17th century science and Public Relations Officer of Vatican Observatory Foundation
  • Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of Vatican Observatory
]]> Galileo was not only a great scientist, but a great philosopher of science. And yet, he was a man who sometimes contradicted his own philosophy. In this episode, Br. Guy and Chris Graney continue their discussion of the real story of Galileo and how science and history textbooks alike often get it wrong. 

Guests:

  • Chris Graney, historian of 17th century science and Public Relations Officer of Vatican Observatory Foundation
  • Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of Vatican Observatory
]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-8658122 Mon, 07 Jun 2021 06:00:00 -0400 1243 1 6 full false Galileo: The Real Story Galileo: The Real Story Galileo's championing of Copernican heliocentrism led to two encounters with the Church: an informal meeting with Cardinal Bellarmine in 1616 and a formal trial in 1633. It’s a muddled piece of history which has caused many people to falsely stake the claim that the Church is an enemy of science. In this episode, Br. Guy and Chris Graney discuss the real story of Galileo’s relationship with the Church.

Guests:
- Chris Graney, historian of 17th century science and Public Relations Officer of Vatican Observatory Foundation
- Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of Vatican Observatory

]]> Galileo's championing of Copernican heliocentrism led to two encounters with the Church: an informal meeting with Cardinal Bellarmine in 1616 and a formal trial in 1633. It’s a muddled piece of history which has caused many people to falsely stake the claim that the Church is an enemy of science. In this episode, Br. Guy and Chris Graney discuss the real story of Galileo’s relationship with the Church.

Guests:
- Chris Graney, historian of 17th century science and Public Relations Officer of Vatican Observatory Foundation
- Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of Vatican Observatory

]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-8637869 Thu, 03 Jun 2021 10:00:00 -0400 1442 1 5 full false The Vatican’s Interest in Space Exploration? The Vatican’s Interest in Space Exploration? Why is the Vatican interested in space and how is it actively contributing to space exploration? In this podcast, Br. Guy explains some of the biggest moments in the Observatory’s history in space and talks about the space missions where the VO is making a contribution. He is joined by Dr. Daniel Britt, the Pegasus Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences at University of Central Florida, and Br. Bob Macke, curator of the Vatican Observatory’s meteorite collection.

Guests:
- Br. Guy Consolmagno - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Consolmagno
- Daniel Britt - https://sciences.ucf.edu/physics/person/daniel-britt/
- Br Bob Macke

]]> Why is the Vatican interested in space and how is it actively contributing to space exploration? In this podcast, Br. Guy explains some of the biggest moments in the Observatory’s history in space and talks about the space missions where the VO is making a contribution. He is joined by Dr. Daniel Britt, the Pegasus Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences at University of Central Florida, and Br. Bob Macke, curator of the Vatican Observatory’s meteorite collection.

Guests:
- Br. Guy Consolmagno - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Consolmagno
- Daniel Britt - https://sciences.ucf.edu/physics/person/daniel-britt/
- Br Bob Macke

]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-8027014 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 03:00:00 -0500 1473 1 4 false Living on the Moon: Why and how? Living on the Moon: Why and how? U.S. astronaut Nicole Stott and her husband Christopher Stott of the International Institute of Space Commerce explore with Br. Guy what living on (or in) the Moon would look like. Where’s the best spot for a Moon base? And when we can expect Moon tourism to start?

Guests:
- Br. Guy Consolmagno - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Consolmagno
- Nicole Stott - https://www.npsdiscovery.com/
- Chris Stott - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Stott

]]> U.S. astronaut Nicole Stott and her husband Christopher Stott of the International Institute of Space Commerce explore with Br. Guy what living on (or in) the Moon would look like. Where’s the best spot for a Moon base? And when we can expect Moon tourism to start?

Guests:
- Br. Guy Consolmagno - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Consolmagno
- Nicole Stott - https://www.npsdiscovery.com/
- Chris Stott - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Stott

]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-8027008 Fri, 22 Jan 2021 03:00:00 -0500 1749 1 3 false Death by Meteorite: What are the chances? Death by Meteorite: What are the chances? In this inaugural episode, world-renowned Vatican astronomer Br. Guy Consalmagno, SJ sits down with Dr. Larry Lebofsky, a planetary astronomer specializing in small solar system bodies, to discuss the chances a meteorite will end life on Earth, how to stop it, and whether or not we’d be safer on Mars.

Guests:
- Br. Guy Consolmagno - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Consolmagno
- Dr. Larry Lebofsky - https://www.psi.edu/about/staffpage/lebofsky

]]> In this inaugural episode, world-renowned Vatican astronomer Br. Guy Consalmagno, SJ sits down with Dr. Larry Lebofsky, a planetary astronomer specializing in small solar system bodies, to discuss the chances a meteorite will end life on Earth, how to stop it, and whether or not we’d be safer on Mars.

Guests:
- Br. Guy Consolmagno - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Consolmagno
- Dr. Larry Lebofsky - https://www.psi.edu/about/staffpage/lebofsky

]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-7921612 Fri, 18 Dec 2020 03:00:00 -0500 1313 1 2 false Science Fiction: What it gets right and wrong Science Fiction: What it gets right and wrong Where do you draw the line between space fact and space fiction? In this episode, Br. Guy and Dr. Larry Lebofsky of the Planetary Science Institute examine what the genre gets right and how science fiction has influenced real-life space programs.

Guests:
- Br. Guy Consolmagno - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Consolmagno
- Dr. Larry Lebofsky - https://www.psi.edu/about/staffpage/lebofsky



]]> Where do you draw the line between space fact and space fiction? In this episode, Br. Guy and Dr. Larry Lebofsky of the Planetary Science Institute examine what the genre gets right and how science fiction has influenced real-life space programs.

Guests:
- Br. Guy Consolmagno - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Consolmagno
- Dr. Larry Lebofsky - https://www.psi.edu/about/staffpage/lebofsky



]]> Vatican Observatory Buzzsprout-8026998 Thu, 17 Dec 2020 03:00:00 -0500 1110 1 1 false