STATUES FOR ASTRONOMERS

PART ONE
-by Andrei Dorian Gheorghe and Valentin Grigore-

During our astronomical expeditions
We have met many great astronomers.
Some of them have spiritual statues in the heavens,
the International Astronomical Union
usually naming asteroids after them.

However, we hope that,
thinking of their services to knowledge and humanity,
someday the people will build for the great astronomers
many more real statues on Earth.

Andrei Dorian Gheorghe, Gelu-Claudiu Radu, Zdenek Ceplecha and Valentin Grigore
(International Meteor Conference 1998, Stara Lesna, Slovakia).
Dr. Zdenek Ceplecha (Czech Republic) is an eminent astronomer
and the founder of the European Fireball Network.
An asteroid was named after him in 1980

A German astronomer, Andrei Dorian Gheorghe, Valentin Grigore, Peter Jenniskens and Stefan Berinde
(International Meteor Conference 1998, Stara Lesna, Slovakia).
Dr. Peter Jenniskens (U.S.A.) is a famous astronomer of
NASA Ames Center and SETI Institute,
and was the Chief-Scientist of NASA’s Leonid Project.
An asteroid was named after him in 1999

Valentin Grigore, Andrei Dorian Gheorghe and Ilan Manulis
(Caesarea, Israel 2000).
Dr. Ilan Manulis (Israel) is the Director of Technoda Observatory.
An asteroid was named after him in 2000

PART TWO
-by Dimitrie Olenici-

In 2008
I participated at an astronomical conference in Italy
and visited the town of Asisi
where Saint Francisco (the Patron of this country) had lived.
A big surprise was when on a close mountain
I saw a few statues with him in astronomical hypostases.

So I took two pictures
with me debating astronomy with Saint Francisco:
-one when he analyzed Ursa Major and Ursa Minor;
-one when he probably observed a meteor shower.

Now it is clear that Saint Francisco was also an astronomer,
but nobody knows how much I am a saint.