Monday, February 29, 2016


Astronomy Club Trip 


On February 24 -28 I traveled with Ms. Gianna Iannucci, Mercy science teacher and twelve members of the Mercy High School Astronomy club to Tucson, Arizona.  Tucson and the surrounding area is known as a prime spot for star-gazing and is the location of the University of Arizona and the Vatican Observatory.  We were privileged to meet with Vatican astronomers and also experience some of the culture of the area.  

Traveling with us was Patricia Bellm, the Co-Director of the Science and Religion Initiative of the Institute for Church Life at   University of Notre Dame.  Ms. Iannucci and I met Mrs. Bellm at a summer institute we attended with Ms. Jean Pepitone, at Notre Dame in the Summer of 2015.  At that summer institute contacts were made, which enabled us to plan this trip where students experienced first hand the relationship between science and faith.

Following are some pictures of our days in Arizona:

Day One:  We visited Flandrau Planetarium and explored the University of Arizona campus.






Day Two:  We visited the Mission San Xavier del Bac and then did some star gazing with the telescope and then binoculars at Kitt Peak National Observatory.



















Day Three:  Meeting with Dr. Brenda Frye, astronomer, of the University of Arizona, Skyping with Mrs. Bachenheimer's Physics class back home and tour of the Mirror Lab.








Day Four:  We visited the Mineral Exhibit at the Flandrau Planetarium, toured the University of Arizona with their admissions office and Skyped with Fr. John Braverman, SJ, who teaches at the St. Joseph's University in Pennsylvania. In the evening we attended Mass at the University's Newman Center and met with Brother Guy Consolmagno, SJ and Vatican astronomers at the office of the Vatican Observatory.  We shared pizza and visited the remote viewing room for the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope and Skyped with Fr. Boyle at the Vatican Observatory on Mt. Graham. We then did some star gazing using the Steward Observatory telescope with the assistance of Vatican astronomers Fr. Paul Gabor, SJ and Fr. Chris Corbally, SJ.  What a night!










                     






Picture of Jupiter through the telescope!