Throughout history, astronomers have been applying themselves and their lives to the skies. They have discovered significant things about our world and the universe it is in that help us live today and they have played a vital role in the development of science and technology that allows us to become more advanced in our knowledge. .
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Ptolemy was a Greek man, who was an astronomer and mathematician. His theories dominated most scientific thought until the 16th century. He believed that the Earth was the centre of the universe and his opinions were supported by the church, who had much power in those days.
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) was a Polish astronomer who was best known for his theory that the sun was the centre of the universe and that the earth, spinning on its axis once daily, revolves annually around the sun. Unlike Ptolemy, Copernicus was not supported by the church and many of his ideas were condemned. .
Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was an Italian physicist and astronomer. His main work was concerned with the observation and discovery of sunspots, lunar mountains and valleys, the four largest satellites of Jupiter and the phases of Venus. In history, Galileo also stands as a symbol in the battle for freedom of inquiry. In 1609 Galileo completed his telescope of 20 times magnification, with which he discovered mountains and craters on the moon. He also saw how the milky way was composed of stars. He published these findings in March 1610. This publishing bought him unwanted attention from the powerful church and they sentenced him to life imprisonment in his own home for defying the churches orders to stop investigating space. He spent the last 4 years of his life blind as a result of staring at the sun directly. .
These three astronomers started the space discoveries that are still continuing today. They worked hard to prove their theories and made many historical and significant discoveries that really contribute to the study of space today.
