Astronomers on what the Nativity Proclamation tells us
A beautiful chant from the Liturgy reflects on the place of Christ in our universe.
Christopher M. Graney
Christopher M. Graney is an astronomer and historian of science with the Specola Vaticana (the Vatican’s astronomical observatory) in Rome and the Vatican Observatory Foundation in Tucson, Arizona (home of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope on Mt. Graham).
Latest articles by Christopher M. Graney
Church and science: What’s to be made of the history? The future?
This is the conclusion of a seven-part series that has gone in-depth into three scientific issues in which the Church got involved. One is Galileo. The others are less known.
The real reason the Church opposed Galileo
Looking at the writings of some cardinals -- including a saint -- and Calvin reveals that the issue wasn't science itself, but a question of good science.
A new look at the Galileo case, from the Vatican Observatory
In this series on the Church and Science, we can't fail to consider the most famous of the questionable cases. And we find the Vatican following the science.
Did (and does) the Church oppose the science of evolution?
A look at the history of the theories and the Church's response shows that some things haven't changed ... Here's the next article in our Series on Church and Science.
Why would the Vatican meddle in science? To correct it?
Why wouldn’t the Vatican just mind its own business? Well, it gets complicated. And offensive. Here's Part 3 of our new Church and Science series, on one of science's blunders.
The Church and evolution, and just one book it condemned
We continue our series on Church and Science, looking today at an example of decided imperfection in the question of how the Vatican dealt with the question of evolution.
Catholic Church and Science (1): St. Augustine and great lights
With the Vatican Observatory, Aleteia brings you a series on how the Catholic Church relates to science, from the beginnings to today. Here is Part 1.
This is the best “Eclipse 2024” story you’ll hear
This account is perhaps the sort of thing that people who hold to certain stereotypes about religious people and science might never imagine.
An actual astronomer takes on astrology: Young people, judge for yourselves
Are you a Leo? A Pisces? Horoscopes are enjoying a surge in popularity, and often directed to young people.
Jesuit priests were 1st to figure out hurricanes: Why that matters
Turns out that what you might have read about the Church and science is mostly bogus.
Blaise Pascal, Jimmy Buffett, and a solution if you hate math
It has generally been assumed that, were we ever to make contact with an intelligent extraterrestrial species (that is, space aliens), mathematics would form the basis for a means of universal communication, because mathematics would be true, even for space aliens.
Vatican astronomers on the surprises from the telescope
Our goal is precisely to challenge, indeed to threaten, our previous understanding. But what we know is true will still be true 1,000 years from now.
Astronomers at Vatican Observatory make book list for science-loving kids
The list is not long, but it is assembled by people who know something about the material in question.
What new photos of the Black Hole tell us: Vatican Observatory astronomers explain
Dante Minniti remarked, “For the first time we have a direct image of the central black hole in our galaxy. We know that the observed ring structure and shadow [in the image] is due to the presence of a black hole with the correct distance and mass predicted by Einstein’s theory of General Relativity.”
Breaking news: Vatican Observatory astronomer finds new member of the solar system
For the time being the "trans-Neptunian object," which is smaller than Pluto, is going by the name of "2021 XD7."
Looking for the Star of Bethlehem from the Vatican observatory
We human beings love to read about great signs in the sky.
The Vatican Observatory has fought fire, COVID-19, and even moths to reach the stars
The Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope, located atop Mt. Graham in Arizona, has faced almost everything that nature (and man) could throw at it.
The truth about Galileo and the Catholic Church
The impression that Galileo was persecuted by a science-denying Church still lingers, but there's no truth in it. An astronomer explains.