Galileo’s Telescope

The story about Galileo’s telescope had beenGalileo was wrong. Galileo argued that the interpreter
retold many times over the year. It was in the Julyof the bible might be wrong but he was accused of
of 1609 that Galileo heard of news that some Dutchheresy. Though he was found not guilty, he was
opticians had come up with certain kind of opticalprevented from spreading the Copernican belief
equipment that can amplify objects and made themsystem.
closer. The news was by then very well-known whenCopernican belief system was the set of guidelines
Galileo got hold of it.that Earth is not the center of the universe but
The Venetian government was aware of it and hadrevolve round the sun. Galileo went on to apply his
intention to buy over the instrument from a foreignerknowledge of the refined instrument to other areas
until Galileo’s friend Paolo Sarpi advised them toin particular the study on Jupiter and the ocean’s
reconsider as he was certain that Galileo could matchtides. He persisted with the Copernican belief system
or even better it. Galileo was a great experimentalisteven though he was not permitted to teach. As a
and then he dedicated himself to develop theresult he was placed on house arrest until his demise.
instrument and he came up with a more powerfulIt was from there that he unearthed even more
device that had greater than before magnifyingdiscoveries. The spots on the surface of the sun,
power. This was done through his understanding ofrings that surround Saturn and the number of phases
improved magnification through a weak convex lensthat Venus goes through were a result of his
and a strong concave lens. At that time no opticianobservations. All these were published in “The
was able to produce a much higher magnification thanStarry Messenger” in 1610. That caused quite a
three and he has to grind the lenses himself.stir back then just to imagine that the earth was
It was then in the autumn of 1609 and as curiosityround and not flat as thought earlier.
taken over him, he directed the refined instrumentGalileo was the early contributor to the sophisticated,
towards the sky. He was then astounded by thecontemporary telescope that we recognized today.
power of the new device. From the observation, heWithout his curiosity and observations, our
figured out that the earth was not the center of theunderstanding and comprehension of the modern
universe. It was opposite to what the bible wasuniverse will not be as comprehensive.
about at that times and the church proclaimed that