400th anniversary of Galileo’s first telescopic observation

K. Lalchhandama

Science Vision 9 (3), 105-106 | Published on 30 September 2009 |

Abstract

he glory crumbled when Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de’ Galilei invented, or rather improved, a telescope in 1609, precisely 400 years ago, based on the technique of Hans Lippershey, who invented the first telescope in 1608. It ultimately turned into the ‘fruit of the tree of knowledge’ in astronomy, eventually leading to his discovery of many novel features of the universe, and to all his adversities, his denunciation. It was when toying with his telescope that he soon discovered four large moons revolving around Jupiter, implying all heavenly bodies need not necessarily move around us.

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