MG 11 · 2006
George Coyne
George Coyne was a Jesuit astronomer and longtime director of the Vatican Observatory.
Born
1933, Baltimore, United States
Affiliation at the Time of the Award
Vatican Observatory, Vatican City, Vatican City State
Prize Motivation
“For his committed support for the international development of relativistic astrophysics and for his dedication to fostering an enlightened relationship between science and religion.”
Meeting
MG XI, Berlin, Germany
Work
Astronomy has often served as a meeting ground for scientific research, education, and broader cultural reflection.
Coyne supported international astronomy and encouraged dialogue between scientific cosmology and religious thought.
His leadership helped sustain institutions where astrophysics, philosophy, and public understanding could interact constructively.