Galileo’s sketches of the Moon from Sidereus Nuncius, published in March 1610.
Therebellious thinkerspent years refining designs for a telescope, eventually producing one that had 30x magnification.
With histelescope, he investigated the planets and even our Moon.
Galileo’s sketches of the Moon from Sidereus Nuncius, published in March 1610. (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Another new discovery was the Moon’s bumpy surface, which man could at last gaze upon with clarity.
He noticed shadows dancing across them, and sketched the phases on several sheets of paper.
However, he soon turned to other tasks after 1610, as evenJesuit scientistsaccepted the Moon’s rough nature.
More moon phase sketches, 1616. (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Among these unfortunate realizations was that the Earth revolved around the Sun.
Galileo was both a heretic and a scientific legend.
Over 300 years later, man would walk on the rough surface Galileo sketched.
it’s possible for you to check it out for yourself with a cheap telescope.
Oh how far astronomy has come!
More moon phase sketches, 1616.
