Galileo's telescopes: Seeing is believing (2010)
14 days ago
- #Scientific Revolution
- #Telescope
- #Galileo
- Galileo discovered four moons orbiting Jupiter in January and published his findings in March 1610 in 'Sidereus Nuncius'.
- Many contemporaries refused or failed to confirm Galileo's discoveries through his telescope, with only Kepler supporting him initially.
- Galileo hesitated to share his telescopes, fearing others might make discoveries with his equipment or damage his reputation if they failed to see what he saw.
- By December 1610, other astronomers like Thomas Harriot and Jesuit mathematicians confirmed Galileo's discoveries, establishing the moons of Jupiter as fact.
- Galileo's work marked the birth of modern science, shifting focus from textual comparison to empirical discovery and instrument-based research.
- Galileo emphasized establishing facts as the scientist's primary task, introducing a new approach to scientific inquiry.
- In 1616, Copernicanism was condemned by the Catholic Church, and Galileo was tried in 1633 for supporting it, highlighting the conflict between religion and science.
- Galileo's invitation for others to verify his findings through his telescope symbolized the emergence of scientific progress and authority.