The Discoveries of Galileo Galilei

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The telescope was invented based off of a “spyglass” that was created by a Flemish lens grinder. Galileo was a man of many trades; philosophy, astronomy, and mathematics were among his favorites. Before he started studying the skies, Galileo taught math at Pisa and then Padua. After creating his telescope he became known as a hero to many people across Italy and most of Europe. Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa, Italy in February of 1564. As a teenager his moved to a monastery school, and then continued on at the University of Pisa where he studied medicine. He always had such a love for math and philosophy that he taught the two subjects at Pisa and then Padua. Galileo also studied motion, which he used for the majority of the rest of his career. His contributions ranged from the science of motion, astronomy, strength of materials, and of course the scientific method. His creation of inertia and the law of the falling bodies started the changes to the study of motion. The telescope opened up so many doors for Galileo and with that piece of equipment his discoveries were limitless. In 1609 his astronomical discoveries and observations started. Galileo is most known for his discoveries that he turned into a book, The Starry Messenger. In this book he covers his discoveries of the landscape on the moon, the light coming from the Milky Way, Jupiter and its moons, Sunspots and the phases of Venus. From a young age Galileo was both bothered and motivated by the lack of scientific rule and emphasis on church rule. Galileo’s approach to learning was very admirable. Instead of sticking to his course of study, he learned by investigating his everyday activities. By learning to inquire further about what interested him, he made e... ... middle of paper ... ...losophers had tried to explain motion; now their task was to explain changes in motion.” In conclusion, Galileo’s discoveries are still being looked upon today. By the 1640’s no other astronomers could look past Galileo’s discoveries. The work of Galileo along with Copernicus, and Kepler could not be solved, that is until Sir Isaac Newton the “greatest genius of the Scientific Revolution” came along and made his own set of new discoveries. Works Cited Lattis, Dr. Jim. "Galileo: Frequently Asked Questions." 400 Years of the Telescope | A Journey of Science, Technology and Thought. Web. 04 Sept. 2011. . "Galileo." 2011. Biography.com. 5 Sep 2011, 01:00 http://www.biography.com/articles/Galileo-9305220. Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization. Eighth ed. Vol. II. Boston: Wadsworth, 2012. Print.

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