Papal Visitors to the Vatican Observatory

Following its relocation to Castel Gandolfo, every Pope (except John Paul I) has visited the Vatican Observatory and signed our visitor’s log. In 2009, after our move to the southern end of the Papal Gardens, Pope Benedict blessed our new quarters (right) and admired the Martian meteorite Nahkla from the Vatican’s meteorite collection. Soon after his election in 2013, Pope Francis came for lunch with the Jesuit community and also got to see our collection of ancient astronomical instruments and globes (right), now on display in Area 2.