Fr. Johan Stein, S.J.

Fr. Johan Stein, S.J.

Fr. Johan Stein, S.J. Fr. Johan Stein S.J. (1871-1951) served as Director of the Vatican Observatory from 1930 to 1951. He oversaw a modernization of the Observatory and also its relocation to Castel Gandolfo in the 1930s. The crater Stein on the far side of the moon...
Fr. Patrick Treanor, S.J.

Fr. Patrick Treanor, S.J.

Fr. Patrick Treanor, S.J. Fr. Patrick Treanor S.J. (1920-1978) served as Director of the Vatican Observatory from 1970 to 1978. His research was concerned principally with polarized light from stars and interstellar media, with the metallicity of various spectral...
Fr. Daniel O’Connell, S.J.

Fr. Daniel O’Connell, S.J.

Fr. Daniel O’Connell, S.J. Fr. Daniel O’Connell S.J. (1896-1982) served as Director of the Vatican Observatory from 1952 to 1970. Under his leadership the Observatory installed the Schmidt Telescope in this building in 1957. Area 2 Group 1 • Group 2 • Group 3 •...
Historic Meteorite Fall

Historic Meteorite Fall

Historic Meteorite Fall The Ensisheim meteorite, which fell in 1492, is among the earliest well-documented meteorite falls. It is featured in a woodcut and poem written by Sebastian Brandt made in 1492, which was reproduced in this 1528 manuscript Sigismondo Tizio,...
Solar and Astronomical Quadrant

Solar and Astronomical Quadrant

Solar and Astronomical Quadrant Solar and astronomical quadrant made by Abbé Berthiaud, circa 1885, combines the characteristics of a sun dial and a planetarium; it determines the mean solar time for Rome and for all the world’s cities, the current location of...