Telescope

The Life of a Telescope

  • First known "Telescope"

    First known "Telescope"
    In 1608, a Dutch lens maker named Hans Lipperhey came out with a new item that was supposed to make objects appear closer than they were.
  • Galileo's Findings

    Galileo's Findings
    After Lipperhey came out with his telescope, Galileo Galilei mad his own, making many fascinating discoveries, such as the earth was not the center of the universe, and that the moon was not spherical.
  • The First Drawing of the Moon

    The First Drawing of the Moon
    British astronomer, Thomas Harriot, first drew an accurate moon in 1609. It had far more depth than Galileo's discoveries.
  • Kepler's Variation

    Kepler's Variation
    Johannes Kepler made a new version of the telescope, with two convex lenses. The image, however, would be upside down, and was not accepted until roughly 1630.
  • Scheiner's Acceptance

    Scheiner's Acceptance
    Christoph Scheiner was the first to accept Kepler's variation, writing a book on his discoveries and how they were clearer and brighter than Galileo's telescope - only they were upside down.
  • Descartes's Look on Telescopes

    Descartes's Look on Telescopes
    "By taking our sense of sight far beyond the realm of our forebears' imagination, these wonderful instruments, the telescopes, open the way to a deeper and more perfect understanding of nature." - René Descartes
  • Christiaan and Constantine's Telescopes

    Christiaan and Constantine's Telescopes
    While telescopes grew larger and larger, Christaan and his brother Constantine sold telescopes 23 feet in length. That was an average telescope handmade and sold. It magnified objects 100 fold.
  • Isaac Newton's Telescope

    Isaac Newton's Telescope
    Newton discovered that using a single curved mirror with a smaller mirror instead of double lenses. This was a massive discovery.
  • The 150 foot long Telescope

    The 150 foot long Telescope
    Johannes Hevelius made very long telescopes that he used in his rooftop conservatory, however their value was questionable as they would shake and rattle at the smallest breeze.
  • Hadley's Variation

    Hadley's Variation
    John Hadley made the mirrors out of polished metal, in a Newtonian style telescope. This was said to enlarge an item two hundred times.