Southern Arizona observatory offers glimpse into the heavens

SOUTHERN, AZ (Tucson News Now) - Astronomy has been part of the Catholic Church's history for more than 400 years. Pope Gregory established a committee of scientists to reform then calendar in 1582, which eventually led to the first Vatican observatory.

Those astronomical roots can be traced from Rome to right here is Southern Arizona.

"The observatory has gone through a number of various institutional reshuffles and changes but it has existed since then, it's one of the oldest observatories around," said Father Gabor, the vice director for the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope, which is located on Mount Graham in southeast Arizona.

The facility, more commonly referred known as the VATT Observatory, is part of the Vatican Observatory Research Group, one of oldest astronomical research institutions in the world.

Working in collaboration with the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory, astronomers come here from around the world to study the stars and other celestial bodies.

"The observatory has gone through a number of various institutional reshuffles and changes but it has existed since then, it's one of the oldest observatories around," said Father Gabor. "We have different types of projects ranging from galaxies to small bodies in the solar system."

Located on Mt. Graham, about a two-hour drive from Tucson, the VATT got its start at Vatican City in Rome. As the city grew, so did light pollution.

For the first time in its history, the Observatory founded a second research center in Tucson and completed the VATT telescope in 1993.

"Being in Tucson is great from that point of view as well because we have a large number of different projects that we can join. Father Gabor said. "It's a very stimulating environment for astronomy. Many things are happening here."

The VATT'S primary mirror was made at The University of Arizona's Steward Observatory Mirror Laboratory, under the seats at Arizona Stadium, which pioneered both the spin-casting and the stressed-lap polishing techniques that are being used for telescope mirrors around the world.

Given its excellent optical qualities, the VATT telescope has been used primarily for imaging and for measuring the intensity of an astronomical object's electromagnetic radiation.

The VATT has also discovered a Black Hole in another galaxy.

As long as there are new discoveries to be made, astronomers like Father Gabor will continue to look towards the Heavens.

"Astronomy makes the soul look up and there is something very inspiring about astronomy," Father Gabor said.

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