Vatican Observatory Summer School 2025
Exploring the Universe with JWST
The Vatican Observatory is pleased to announce the
19th Summer School in Astrophysics - VOSS 2025
TOPIC
Since the first release of data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in July 2022, we have witnessed a transformation in astronomy. VOSS 2025 will present a comprehensive overview of the major JWST results in its first three years (2022-2025), covering the four major scientific themes of JWST: (1) First Light and Reionization, (2) Assembly and Evolution of Galaxies, (3) Birth of Stars and Protoplanetary systems, and (4) Planetary Systems and the Origin of Life. In parallel, we will also provide a series of hands-on tutorials for JWST data processing and analysis. VOSS 2025 will convey the excitement of astronomical research in the era of JWST and the skills to pursue research projects spanning a broad range of themes in astrophysics.
ABOUT THE SCHOOL...
the School is meant for astronomy students in the final year of their undergraduate studies or their first years of post-graduate (graduate) studies
selection is based entirely on the background, interest, and ability of the student; the only limit is that we choose only two students from any country
- there is no required fee to attend, and students with financial hardships can apply for support towards their travel and housing costs
The FACULTY
Eiichi Egami (Chair)
University of Arizona, US; JWST/NIRCam team
Guy Consolmagno, S.J. (Director)
Vatican Observatory
David Brown (Dean)
Vatican Observatory
Roberto Maiolino
University of Cambridge, UK; JWST/NIRSpec team
Almudena Alonso-Herrero
Centro de Astrobiología, ES; JWST/MIRI team
Maria Drozdovskaya
Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos und Weltstrahlungszentrum - PMOD/WRC, CH
Thomas Greene
IPAC/Caltech, US; JWST/NIRCam and MIRI teams
CONTACT
Guy Consolmagno, S.J. (Director)Specola Vaticana
V-00120 Vatican City State - Rome, Italy
Tel.: +39 06 69885266 FAX: +39 06 69884671
e-mail: school@specola.va
Click here for more information about the faculty
Lemaître Conference 2024
Black Holes, Gravitational Waves and Space-Time Singularities
An international workshop to celebrate the legacy of G. Lemaître in the new millennium
Building upon the success of the inaugural Lemaître workshop we delve deeper into the legacy of Mgr. Georges Lemaître's profound insights.
This iteration focuses on addressing paramount themes: Cosmology and the perplexing Hubble tension, the enigmatic nature of spacetime singularities encompassing the Big Bang and Black Holes, the Gravitational Waves they produce, the tantalizing pursuit of Quantum Gravity and its connections with the Entanglement and foundations of Quantum Theory.
The main goal of this workshop is to encourage interaction among the participants, between theory and observation, and to provide a stimulating and thought-provoking environment for new ideas.
For more info, e-mail: lemaitre.conference@gmail.com
To attend the conference online please register here (due to severe space constraints, attendance in presence is reserved only to speakers and committee members): https://indico.cern.ch/e/lemaitre2024
SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Massimo Bianchi, Sergio Cacciatori, Guy Consolmagno, S.J., Viviana Fafone, Matteo Galaverni, Gabriele Gionti, S.J., Renata Kallosh, Renate Loll, Maria Elena Monzani, Piergiorgio Picozza, Fabio Scardigli, Daniel Sudarsky, Michael Turner
LOCAL SOC
Fabio Scardigli, Gabriele Gionti, S.J., Massimo Bianchi, Matteo Galaverni, Sergio Cacciatori
AND FINALLY WE WENT OUT TO SEE THE STARS AGAIN
The Vatican Museums and the Specola Vaticana, the Vatican’s astronomical observatory, are pleased to announce the opening of the Specola Vaticana Visitor Center within the Papal Summer Villa Gardens in Castel Gandolfo.
Tours will include access to two historic telescopes, a display of antique and contemporary astronomical equipment, a presentation of astronomically themed artwork, and other special exhibits.
Access is by advanced booking only. Reservations for visits can be booked online at the official website of the Vatican Museums https://tickets.museivaticani.va/home/calendar/visit/Specola-Vaticana where information on admission fees and available dates can be found.
For more information,
E-mail: polomusealecastelgandolfo@scv.va
Phone: +39 06 69863260
A virtual tour through our History...
The Vatican Observatory is pleased to present the virtual tour of the Castel Gandolfo visitor center.
The tour includes a visit to the exhibition inside the Pontifical Villas, featuring the two telescopes located in the garden domes and the two telescopes located in the domes on the top of the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo.
Vatican Observatory Summer School
Annual Report
Annual Report 2024
Annual Report 2023
Annual Report 2022
Reporting, remedy and redress
How to bring a complaint of abuse against any past or present Jesuit at the Vatican Observatory
The Society of Jesus, which staffs the Vatican Observatory, takes seriously every complaint or accusation with regards one of its members. The mission of the Society of the Jesus is a mission of reconciliation. We welcome everybody. The Society of Jesus, as asked by the General Congregation 36, wants to create a culture of safeguarding, and are committed to the highest standards in our ministry. We try to exclude that anybody runs the risk of being harmed in any of our ministries.
If anyone wishes to bring a complaint of abuse against any past or present Jesuit at the Vatican Observatory, they may contact an external team constituted by the Delegation of the International Jesuits Houses in Rome of the Society of Jesus at the following email address: teamreferente.dir@gmail.com.
