Galileo turns his telescope to the sky

In short

In 1609 Galileo Galilei, a professor in Padua, heard that a spyglass had been invented in Holland and built one of his own, much better. He pointed it at the sky and used it for careful, systematic observations, as almost nobody had done before. He discovered mountains and craters on the Moon, countless stars in the Milky Way and four moons around Jupiter. He described everything in the Sidereus Nuncius, ‘the starry messenger’, published in 1610.

Why it matters Galileo's observations supported Copernicus's idea and began a science based on evidence.

Source: Museo Galileo, Florence, “Il cannocchiale di Galileo”

Where we are in the era “Early modern age”

Your turn

Name ______________________ Class ______ Date __________

1. When did it happen? Find the date at the top and write it here:

2. Tell it in your own words: what happened?

3. Draw the scene below.

storiascopio.com/en/event/galileo-turns-his-telescope-to-the-sky/ · free worksheet, you may photocopy it for your class