Since every two years the Specula Vatican organizes some international summer courses on astronomy. This is the thirteenth edition. The information was released by Vatican Radio, whose team interviewed Father Gabriel Funes, director of the Astronomical Observatory of the Holy See, located in Castel Gandolfo. The bishop confirmed the Vatican agency that there's interest, especially students from Latin America.

The Vatican Observatory is an astronomical research institution under the Pope. It currently has two locations: the main body of researchers is the "Research Group of the Vatican Observatory," which occupies premises in the Steward Observatory, University of Arizona (USA), while the headquarters are located in the Palace of Castel Gandolfo, Italy, sharing the building off of the Pope in that locality. All its researchers are Jesuits who also have training, most doctorates in astronomy. The Centre held every two years a summer school in astronomy students from around the world spend a month in Castel Gandolfo studying a particular topic.