Galileo GalileiGalileo Galilei(Feb. 15, 1564- Jan. 8, (Feb. 15, 1564- Jan. 8,

1642)1642)

“The F“The Father of ather of Modern Modern

Observational Observational AstronomyAstronomy “ “

Early LifeEarly Life

Oldest of seven children.Oldest of seven children. His father was a musician and wool trader.His father was a musician and wool trader. Galileo’s father wanted him toGalileo’s father wanted him to study study

medicine because he said there was more medicine because he said there was more money to be made.money to be made.

Sent to a Jesuit Monastery at age 11. Sent to a Jesuit Monastery at age 11. Decided to become a monk which upset his Decided to become a monk which upset his father.father.

Went to the University of Pisa at the age of Went to the University of Pisa at the age of 17 to study medicine.17 to study medicine.

http://users.etown.edu/r/riegerj/media/Timeline.htm

Using his pulse while watching a Using his pulse while watching a lamp swing in a cathedral, Galileo lamp swing in a cathedral, Galileo developed the Law of Pendulum developed the Law of Pendulum which was used to build clocks.which was used to build clocks.

Bored with college, he dropped out Bored with college, he dropped out and was tutored to satisfy his thirst and was tutored to satisfy his thirst for mathematics.for mathematics.

He was later offered a teaching He was later offered a teaching position at the University and began position at the University and began tutoring students and continuing his tutoring students and continuing his experiments.experiments.

Galileo questioned the laws of Galileo questioned the laws of nature accepted from Aristotle which nature accepted from Aristotle which stated that larger objects would fall stated that larger objects would fall faster than lighter ones. faster than lighter ones.

GalileoGalileo climbed to climbed to the top of the Tower the top of the Tower of Pisa to do his of Pisa to do his experiments. He lost experiments. He lost his teaching position his teaching position when he became too when he became too arrogant with his arrogant with his findings.findings.

Early SpyglassEarly Spyglass(Later renamed (Later renamed the telescope)the telescope)

New Telescope DiscoversNew Telescope Discovers

Moon is an irregular, rough body, not Moon is an irregular, rough body, not smooth as previously thought.smooth as previously thought.

Milky Way is composed of many stars.Milky Way is composed of many stars. Jupiter has many small satellites he called Jupiter has many small satellites he called

“Sidera Medicea” after his favorite “Sidera Medicea” after his favorite student.student.

Made observations about Saturn, Made observations about Saturn, sunspots, and the phases of Venus.sunspots, and the phases of Venus.

Sunspots Observations Sunspots Observations (1612)(1612)

In 1613, Galileo stated the earth In 1613, Galileo stated the earth traveled around the sun, which traveled around the sun, which contradicted the teachings of the contradicted the teachings of the church. church.

On March 5, 1616, the Catholic On March 5, 1616, the Catholic Church declares the writing of Church declares the writing of Galileo banned. He retires to his Galileo banned. He retires to his home near Florence, Italy. He home near Florence, Italy. He continues his writings and continues his writings and observations.observations.

1632-16331632-1633The Pope begins to find fault The Pope begins to find fault in all of Galileo’s writings in all of Galileo’s writings and in February, 1633, and in February, 1633, Galileo is charged with Galileo is charged with “vehement suspicion of “vehement suspicion of heresy” and tried. He is heresy” and tried. He is placed under house arrest placed under house arrest until his death eight years until his death eight years later.later.

The church finally lifted the ban The church finally lifted the ban on Galileo’s writing in 1822, on Galileo’s writing in 1822, accepting that the Sun, not the accepting that the Sun, not the earth, was the center of the earth, was the center of the known Universe.known Universe.

Finally, in 1992, three Finally, in 1992, three years after Galileo’s years after Galileo’s namesake had been namesake had been launched on its way launched on its way to Jupiter, the to Jupiter, the Vatican formally and Vatican formally and publicly cleared publicly cleared Galileo of any Galileo of any

wrongdoing.wrongdoing.