New-York tribune., 1911-01-30
pope's Astronomer IN Chief

Plus X has lust inaugurated what if
practically 2 new institute for astronom-
ical science az the Vatican Five years
acc the present PontiT intrusted the Jesuit
Father John Hagen who FOR nearly two
decades made his home at Georgetown.
T. e. az the chief Of the observatory
thers> with the complete reorganization of
tho so-called Specola Vatican that is to
cav the Observatory Of the Vatican, per
hsps the oldest one in existence The
Holy Father gave him practically carte
blanche helped him 70 find the money for
the most modern appliances. allowed him
20 make the necessary structural altera
ticns in the buildings and assigned 70 his
use and 10 that IF his assistants the so
called Leonine tower. or villa in which Leo
XIII used TO delight 10 spend several weeks
every summer; the reorganization has now
been completed N a considerable cost. and.
as I have intimated above. II has trans
formed the ancient observatory into prac-
ticslly a new institute Of astronomical sci
ence.
The Specola Vaticana is situated in the
Gregorian tower, where the celebrated
cosmogra pher. Father Ignacio Dante, a de-
scendant Of the poet. made his solar obser
vations for the reform Of the calendar. In
the seventeenth century the Gregorian and
the I.eonine towers. which have just been
united by a foOtbridge, served for the
barometrical observations Of Baglivi But
the scientific work Of the Vatican observa-
tory was suspended throughout the greater
part Of the eighteenth and nineteenth GEN.
turies. until the Barnabite Father Denza
was persuaded to revive it by Leo Kill
who not only supplied funds generously for
the purpose Of the purchase Of instruments,
but by turning the Master Of the Apostolic
Palaces. Monsignor (afterward CardinaD
Perotti out Of the Gregorian tower, where
he had taken no his residence. enabled the
building 10 be restored 10 its former pur-
pose.
Father Denzs gladly accepted the invita-
tion 70 unite with the astronomers Of four
teen other great observatories IN various
psrts Of the world in the making Of a
nbotoeraphic map OF the heavens, task
an which Father Denza's assistant. Father
rais vice-director Of the observatory. Is
s,U engaged When Father Denza died, IN
1se4 Leo XIII invited the famous Paulist
,stronor,er. Father SearlA. Of New York
- take charge Of the Vatican Observatory
t5A ,ocepted but changed his mind. az the
,nstance Of his American friends and sd-
,,irere and the Spanish Augustinian Father
RODRIGUEZ took hi5 place and held Il until
he vas recalled 20 the observatory of the
-souriaI in 1906. when Father Hagen was
a,nointed Father Hagen Is about 70 in
si,rurate a series of important astronomi-
al Qualifications and. vigorously supported
~, cardinal Maff Archbishop Of Pisa and
-r.s,dent OF the Vatican observatory. occu-
Les the Mace filed in 1888 by the German
sp-.~o,,or,er Vidmanstadt. whose lecture
-, in the Vatican garden before Pope
Sl.ynert VII. surrounded by brilliant
,,s,berine Of cardinals and prelates. on the
Sel,ooentric system and on the movement
20 +bA earth around the sun stil figures
,.srsatirn IN the Vatican records and ante
1s,ed bv lust hundred years the trial ~
CALLED.
ratber John Hagen, who is sixty-four
- old was born as an Austrian a. Bre-
- was educated al Bonn, Munster. and
:. nit+on Hall, In England and came N
,eso 80 America. where he remained until
.,,,,,r,oned BY Plus Y 70 take charge OF the
1-.,i.an observatories that rs TO say, for
'..,od ~ more than a quarter Of a century
= mat he is 20 al intents and purposes an
American