Newly-discovered asteroids named after Jesuits — and a pope

“562971 Johannhagen” honors Jesuit Father Johann Hagen (1847–1930), director of the Vatican Observatory from 1906 to 1930. “551878 Stoeger” honors Father Bill Stoeger, SJ (1943–2014), a cosmologist and theologian at the Vatican Observatory. Finally, “565184 Janusz” honors Jesuit Father Robert Janusz (b. 1964), currently on the staff of the observatory. The naming process for asteroids […]