Somewhere between Mars and Jupiter is a piece of rock that is now named after an English Catholic priest who made great strides in astronomy.
On Wednesday, June 24, Fr. Christopher Corbally told CNA – the English agency of the ACI Group – that he was “completely surprised” when he heard that asteroid 119248 had been named in his honor earlier this month.
At 74, Fr. Corbally is credited with advancing the understanding of multiple star systems, stellar classification by spectral types, galactic structure, star formation, and telescope technology; but during his distinguished career he has not focused on asteroids.
“I am not an asteroid person, I am a star person,” he said.
According to NASA, asteroids “are rocky, airless remnants of the early formation of our solar system some 4.6 billion years ago.” The current number of identified asteroids is 958,915, ranging in size from less than ten meters to 529 km in diameter.
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has strict rules for name minor planets, also known as asteroids. According to their website, names should be 16 characters or less, ideally one word, should be pronounceable, non-offensive, and substantially different from previous names.
Asteroids cannot be named after politicians or military figures until a century after their death. Pet names are also discouraged.
He asteroid 119248 Corbally It was discovered by the American astronomer Roy Tucker on September 10, 2001 at the Goodricke-Pigott Observatory in Tucson, Arizona (United States). Tucker recently retired as a senior engineer at the University of Arizona Imaging Technology Laboratory.
Fr Corbally used Tucker’s electronic cameras at Kitt Peak, southwest of Tucson, and Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT) at Mount Graham in southeastern Arizona for spectral observation. He has also worked in recent years with Tucker on a project examining celestial objects that vary in brightness.
The priest joined the staff of the Vatican Observatory in 1983 as a research astronomer and served as deputy director of the Research Group of the Vatican Observatory in Tucson until 2012.
Corbally, a member of the Society of Jesus who was ordained in 1976, noted that he is the 16th Jesuit to lend its name to a minor planet, including the founder of the order, San Ignacio (1491-1556), the Argentine astronomer Buenaventura Suárez (1678-1750) and Johann Grueber (1623-1680), an Austrian missionary in China.
When asked what he knew about the asteroid that had received its name, Fr. Corbally pointed out that it lies between Mars and Jupiter in the asteroid belt.
“It is about a mile in diameter, making it a small body. It is in the mid range of brightness. It is not the weakest nor the brightest, “he said. “There is a whole hive of these asteroids out there. They are part of the leftovers of the formation of the sun and our planets, “he added.
Father Corbally, who was born in London, became interested in astronomy when he was sent to school at Stonyhurst College in Lancashire, in the North West of England.
“It happened outside the city,” he recalled. “The dark sky was visible. You could really see the sky, not the clouds. It was all clear and the stars were wonderful. “
The Jesuit priest lives in Arizona and said that his asteroid will probably exist until long after everyone on Earth today has passed away.
Translated and adapted by Harumi Suzuki. Originally published in CNA.
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