Friday, December 21, 2007

Vatican Observatory Relocated

Italian media reports that the Vatican Observatory at Castel Gandolfo (the pope's retreat estate outside Rome) will be moved to a different building, to free up space for a guest house. The Observatory has occupied its present building since 1891.

"A library with over 20,000 rare books, an extensive collection of meteorites and the residences of the scientists will all be transferred to an old convent, located one and a half kilometres away from Castel Gandolfo."

The director of the Observatory said that the move will provide a "more comfortable" facility.

An interesting aside: there is a second official Vatican observatory, located atop Mount Graham in Arizona.