Guy Consolmagno
Encyclopedia
Brother Guy J. Consolmagno, SJ
(born September 19, 1952 in Detroit, Michigan
), is an American
research astronomer
and planetary scientist
at the Vatican Observatory
.
and his Ph.D. (1978) at the University of Arizona
's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory
, all in planetary science
. After postdoctoral research and teaching at Harvard College Observatory
and MIT, in 1983 he joined the US Peace Corps
to serve in Kenya
for two years, teaching astronomy and physics. After his return he took a position as Assistant Professor at Lafayette College
in Easton
, Pennsylvania
.
In 1989 he entered the Society of Jesus
, and took vows as a brother in 1991. On entry into the order, he was assigned as an astronomer to the Vatican Observatory
, where he also serves as curator of the Vatican Meteorite collection, positions he has held since then. In addition to his continuing professional work in planetary science, he has also studied philosophy
and theology
.
His research is centered on the connections between meteorites and asteroids, and the origin and evolution of small bodies in the solar system
. In addition to over 40 refereed scientific papers, he has co-authored several books on astronomy
for the popular market, which have been translated into multiple languages. During 1996, he took part in the Antarctic Search for Meteorites, ANSMET
, where he discovered a number of meteorites on the ice fields of Antarctica. An asteroid was named in his honor by the International Astronomical Union, IAU
in 2000: 4597 Consolmagno, also known as "Little Guy".
He believes in the need for science
and religion
to work alongside one another rather than as competing ideologies. In 2006, he said, "Religion needs science to keep it away from superstition and keep it close to reality, to protect it from creationism
, which at the end of the day is a kind of paganism
– it's turning God into a nature god." Consolmagno was recently the Chair of the Division for Planetary Sciences
of the American Astronomical Society
, serving from October 2006 to October 2007.
Consolmagno is a popular speaker as well as a writer of popular science. He has been a guest of honor at several science fiction conventions, including ConFusion and Duckon, in his native state of Michigan in 2002, Boskone
in 2007, and ConClave
in 2009. He was an invited participant in Scifoo
in 2008 as well.
He appeared on The Colbert Report in December, 2009 to promote his book, The Heavens Proclaim.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
(born September 19, 1952 in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
), is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
research astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
and planetary scientist
Planetary science
Planetary science is the scientific study of planets , moons, and planetary systems, in particular those of the Solar System and the processes that form them. It studies objects ranging in size from micrometeoroids to gas giants, aiming to determine their composition, dynamics, formation,...
at the Vatican Observatory
Vatican Observatory
The Vatican Observatory is an astronomical research and educational institution supported by the Holy See. Originally based in Rome, it now has headquarters and laboratory at the summer residence of the Pope in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, and an observatory at the Mount Graham International...
.
Life
Consolmagno attended the University of Detroit Jesuit High School before he obtained his B.A. (1974), M.A. (1975) degrees at Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
and his Ph.D. (1978) at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory
Lunar and Planetary Laboratory
The Lunar and Planetary Laboratory is a research center for planetary science located in Tucson, Arizona. It is also a graduate school, constituting the Department of Planetary Sciences at the University of Arizona...
, all in planetary science
Planetary science
Planetary science is the scientific study of planets , moons, and planetary systems, in particular those of the Solar System and the processes that form them. It studies objects ranging in size from micrometeoroids to gas giants, aiming to determine their composition, dynamics, formation,...
. After postdoctoral research and teaching at Harvard College Observatory
Harvard College Observatory
The Harvard College Observatory is an institution managing a complex of buildings and multiple instruments used for astronomical research by the Harvard University Department of Astronomy. It is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and was founded in 1839...
and MIT, in 1983 he joined the US Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
to serve in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
for two years, teaching astronomy and physics. After his return he took a position as Assistant Professor at Lafayette College
Lafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
in Easton
Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
In 1989 he entered the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, and took vows as a brother in 1991. On entry into the order, he was assigned as an astronomer to the Vatican Observatory
Vatican Observatory
The Vatican Observatory is an astronomical research and educational institution supported by the Holy See. Originally based in Rome, it now has headquarters and laboratory at the summer residence of the Pope in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, and an observatory at the Mount Graham International...
, where he also serves as curator of the Vatican Meteorite collection, positions he has held since then. In addition to his continuing professional work in planetary science, he has also studied philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
.
His research is centered on the connections between meteorites and asteroids, and the origin and evolution of small bodies in the solar system
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
. In addition to over 40 refereed scientific papers, he has co-authored several books on astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
for the popular market, which have been translated into multiple languages. During 1996, he took part in the Antarctic Search for Meteorites, ANSMET
ANSMET
ANSMET is a program funded by the Office of Polar Programs of the National Science Foundation that looks for meteorites in the Transantarctic Mountains. This geographical area serves as a collection point for meteorites that have originally fallen on the extensive high-altitude ice fields...
, where he discovered a number of meteorites on the ice fields of Antarctica. An asteroid was named in his honor by the International Astronomical Union, IAU
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union IAU is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy...
in 2000: 4597 Consolmagno, also known as "Little Guy".
He believes in the need for science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
and religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
to work alongside one another rather than as competing ideologies. In 2006, he said, "Religion needs science to keep it away from superstition and keep it close to reality, to protect it from creationism
Creationism
Creationism is the religious beliefthat humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being, most often referring to the Abrahamic god. As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Genesis...
, which at the end of the day is a kind of paganism
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
– it's turning God into a nature god." Consolmagno was recently the Chair of the Division for Planetary Sciences
Division for Planetary Sciences
The Division for Planetary Sciences is a division within the American Astronomical Society devoted to solar system research. It was founded in 1968. The first organizing committee members were: Edward Anders, L. Branscomb, J. W. Chamberlain, R. Goody, J. S. Hall, A. Kliore, M. B. Elroy, Tobias...
of the American Astronomical Society
American Astronomical Society
The American Astronomical Society is an American society of professional astronomers and other interested individuals, headquartered in Washington, DC...
, serving from October 2006 to October 2007.
Consolmagno is a popular speaker as well as a writer of popular science. He has been a guest of honor at several science fiction conventions, including ConFusion and Duckon, in his native state of Michigan in 2002, Boskone
Boskone (convention)
Boskone is an annual science fiction convention run by NESFA in Boston, Massachusetts. In the words of the convention organizers, "Boskone is a regional Science Fiction convention focusing on literature, art, music, and gaming ". It is held over President's Day weekend every February, in the city...
in 2007, and ConClave
ConClave (convention)
ConClave is an annual, weekend-long science fiction convention in southeastern/central Michigan, which draws approximately 600 people. ConClave attendees share an interest in science, science fiction, fantasy, and related genres...
in 2009. He was an invited participant in Scifoo
Science Foo Camp
Science Foo Camp, also known as SciFoo, is a series of interdisciplinary scientific conferences organized by O'Reilly Media , Nature Publishing Group and Google Inc., based on an idea from Linda Stone...
in 2008 as well.
He appeared on The Colbert Report in December, 2009 to promote his book, The Heavens Proclaim.
External links
- Personal website
- Blog
- Vatican Observatory website
- "Brother Guy Consolmagno: Knocking on heaven's door", profile by John Crace in The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, 9 May 2006. - Interview with Guy Consolmagno at Astrobiology Magazine (2004).
- Interview with Guy Consolmagno from Grace Cathedral's The Forum. A streaming video is also available.
- Guy Consolmagno's BBC radio series 'A Brief History Of The End Of Everything' Guy Consolmagno, articolo in italiano su Cathopedia