(Shapin 32) When I reached the last page of the Starry Messenger and felt relieved, I came across a sentence that struck me. ... The illustrations and diagrams in Starry Messenger owe a great credit to Galileo's telescope and the believers of Galileo in turn owe a great credit to his illustrations and diagrams. There is no doubt that Galileo's work in Starry Messenger has set the standard for the modern scientific experiment. ... If one has perused and understood Galileo's writing in Starry Messenger, he/she would be able to identify all of the elements that are required i...

• Word Count: 901
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Account of a Heretic: Galileo Galilei Thomas Aquinas defined heresy as, "a species of infidelity in men who, having professed the faith of Christ, corrupt its dogmas". The Catholic Church of the Middle Ages and Renaissance expanded on this definition and established specific attributes of heresy...

• Word Count: 1769
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography

Galileo was a devoted Catholic, a gifted astronomer, philosopher and inventor. He was also a non-conformist, who was tried and convicted for crimes against the Catholic Church. From one extreme to the other, Galileo made a mark on science and the human race. He earned a place in history that will no...

• Word Count: 710
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Galileo Galilei was born to Vincenzio Galilei and Giulia Ammannati on February 15, 1564 in the town of Pisa in Italy. He was the oldest of seven children about most of whom all record is lost. His first teacher was a man by the name of Jacopo Borghini. Around 1575 he and his family moved to Flo...

• Word Count: 944
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

The first thing he saw was that the moon was mountainous and pitted, much like earth, and in 1610 he discovered four moons circling Jupiter which he published as Starry Messenger. ... Galileo saw his discovery of the four moons as his best chance and so he sent Starry Messenger, his finest telescope, and a personal plea to the Medici family. ...

• Word Count: 2318
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Have you ever gazed at the night sky, marveling at its vast, wondrous, infinite beauty? Have you ever watched a "falling star" blaze across the sky and made a wish? Have you ever studied the planets in school or looked at them through a telescope? Many people take the night sky for granted; one ...

• Word Count: 1318
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography

"Galileo was that guy who invented the telescope." This is what most people say when they think about Galileo. However, Galileo did not even invent the telescope; he only made improvements to it so it could be used for astronomy. Galileo did use it to make many important discoveries about astro...

• Word Count: 1358
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

The numerous astronomical discoveries made by Galileo with the aid of his telescopes were described in a short book called Message from the stars or Starry Messenger (Sidereus Nuncius) published in Venice in May 1610. ...

• Word Count: 1843
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

Mathematicians of the 1600's The 1600's was a period of expansive intellectual growth in Western civilization which began during the Renaissance era. The transformation of society during the Renaissance led man to challenge archaic ideas. Changes were seen politically, economically, and socially...

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Summary Until Galileo's time science was a handmaiden of philosophy which in turn was the handmaiden of theology. Galileo according to Drake wished to free science from this bondage as the historical obstacle to its utility and progress. As Drake explains " the silencing and punishment of Galileo toward the end of a life devoted to scientific inquiry was an event of profound significance for our cultural history" (pg. iii). Drake's biography on Galileo meanders its way from the very beginning of Galileo's life and work right to the bitter end. Drake embodies a simple and pleasi...

• Word Count: 3037
• Approx Pages: 12
• Grade Level: Undergraduate