The Vatican Observatory

In The Service of Nine Popes

Sabino Maffeo, S.J.
Translated by George V. Coyne, S.J.

From the Vatican Observatory Foundation

The Vatican Observatory: In the Service of Nine Popes records the history of the Vatican Observatory (Specola Vaticana). It was originally published in 1991 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the observatory by Pope Leo XIII. This revised edition brings together many facts hidden in archival material, correspondence, previous publications on the observatory’s history, as well as fresh material derived from interviews. Of particular interest is new research on the difficult period in the observatory’s history as it moved from an institute struggling to establish research programs to a true astronomical observatory.

The Vatican Observatory: In the Service of Nine Popes presents the most complete written history of the Vatican Observatory.

SABINO MAFFEO, S.J. taught physics at the Jesuit College in Rome. He also served as president of that college, director of the technical division of the Vatican Radio, and vice director of administration for the Vatican Observatory.

GEORGE V. COYNE, S.J. is director of the Vatican Observatory, a position he has held since 1978.