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Feb 15, 1564
Birth of Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa, Italy, as the eldest of six children of Vincenzo Galilei. Galilei was originally to study to become a priest, but instead became a physicist, mathematician, philsopher, and astronomer. -
Period: Feb 15, 1564 to
Citing
Event dates and information from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_Galilei, http://inventors.about.com/od/gstartinventors/a/Galileo_Galilei.htm -
Apr 7, 1581
Law of Pendulum and Interest in Mathematics and Science
In 1581, when he was studying medicine, he noticed a swinging chandelier that swung in larger and smaller arcs. It seemed that the chandelier took the same amount of time to swing back and forth, no matter how far it was swinging. Galileo discovered that the time was equal for both the long and short pendulum. This discovery instantly made Galileo famous. Galileo then convinced his reluctant father to allow him to study mathematics and science instead of medicine. -
University Professor
In 1592, he moved to the University of Padua and taught geometry, mechanics, and astronomy, During this period Galileo made significant discoveries in both fundamental science as well as practical applied science (for example, strength of materials and improvement of the telescope). Astrology was one of Galileo's greatest interests, as it was tied to science and mathematics at the time. However, Galileo was rude to his colleagues and as a result did not get a renewed contract. -
Inventions
Galileo turned to other ways to make much needed money to support his family now that his father was dead. Galileo came up with a rudimentary thermometer that allowed temperature variations to be measured and a military compass that could be used to accurately fire cannonballs. He continued to grow in popularity, and by 1602, Galileo's name was famous enough to bring students to the University of Padua, where Galileo was experimenting with magnets. -
Galileo's Telescope
Galileo attempted to construct his own spyglass (telescope) based off rumors and his own instincts while never having actually seen the Dutch spyglass. He built a 3-power telescope, then a 10-power telescope, and a 30-power telescope. What makes Galileo famous today is the revolution he started when he trained his spyglass on the Moon, and as his machine improved, Jupiter. -
The Starry Messenger - Galileo's Book
Galileo viewed the Moon's surface and to his surprise, found that it is uneven, rough, and full of cavities and prominences. He also found three small satellites (moons) that were rotating about Jupiter. His findings supported the Copernican idea that the motion of the planets is heliocentric. If there were moons that did not revolve around Earth, it was possible that Earth was not the center of the universe. Galileo published his findings in the highly anticipated The Starry Messenger. -
Controversy over Heliocentrism
Galileo defended heliocentrism, and claimed it was not contrary to Scripture. The Church, angered, declared that the Sun stood still and that the Earth did not move. The Church ordered Galileo to abandon his ideas, so Galileo stayed away from the controversy for several years. -
Theory of Tides
Galileo tried to prove that the earth circles the sun and not vice versa with his theory of tides. According to Galileo, the tides were caused by the sloshing back and forth of water in the seas as a point on the Earth's surface speeded up and slowed down because of the Earth's rotation on its axis and revolution around the Sun. However, he had neglected some inadequacies and in general, his theory was a failure. -
"Dialogue on the Two Great Systems of the World"
As an amusement, Galileo continued to write about tides but in a dialogue between three fictional characters. His supporter was brilliant; another would be open to both sides of the argument. The final character, Simplicio, was foolish and stubborn, and represented Galileo's enemies. The pope suspected Simplicio was modeled after him, therefore banning the book and charging Galileo for teaching the Copernican theory after being ordered not to do so. -
Death of Galilei
Galilei, treathened by the church with torture at age sixty-eight, publicly confessed that he had been wrong to support heliocentricsm and apologized for "Dialogue". Legend then has it that after his confession, Galileo quietly whispered "And yet, it moves." Unfortunately, for the rest of his life, he lived under house arrest until his death on January 8, 1642. But now, as the world looks back on Galilei's achievements in the field of science, we remember him as the "father of science".
