***A Brief History of Astronomical History*** . 3.3 . This is a story of religious blindness versus scientific truth. History is very rude, reality is hard. Though, sometimes time gives birth to some great humans who leaves their footprint on the planet forever. Galileo is one of those. In need of time, Galileo Galilee was born in February 15, 1564 in Italy, just a day later Valentine. He is the great astronomer who constructed the base of modern science. His contribution to science is unforgettable. He born before Kepler and also lived after Kepler. He shocked the world very hardly which affected the system so deeply which we still feel today. Galileo is a name of revolution, an icon of modern astronomy. It is said that, Galileo dropped a light and a heavy object together from the Pisa’s temple and showed that different masses fall with same acceleration. He is the pioneer of the scientific method of modern research. He fought against the religious blindness all his life. Galileo’s parents wanted him to study medical science. But medical-study never attracted his curious mind because, yet medical was taught according to Galen’s book which was 1500 years old method. And though, Catholics did not allow any kind of dissection. That’s why Galileo left medical study and started studying mathematics and inventing small things by himself. At the age of 25 he was employed as a lecturer of mathematics in Pisa where he taught astronomy, poetry and mathematics. After some years he had to leave that post too and got a new post in Padua University in Venice. Giordano Bruno was another candidate of same post. It was 1592 when Galileo came to Padua. Galileo was in Padua for 18 years. In that period he wrote, lectured, experimented, invented scientific instruments included thermometer. He had suffered a lot for family issues such as his two sisters’ marriage; he had to pay a big amount of dowry. He also had given some money to his brother who was a singer. At the age of 45 he became famous as a scientist. In 1609, Galileo came to know that a man in Holland made an instrument with glass, through which things can be seen magnified. At once, he collected some lenses and made his very own telescope, an instrument which unlocked a new era of astronomy. Galileo is the first human ever been who saw more far in the sky than ever before. He observed the sky and recorded what he seen. 1609 and 1610, in this two years he discovered so many things in the sky. Galileo observed our satellite Moon and its nature, Mars and its satellites’ nature. He discovered the 4 satellites of Jupiter out of its 16 satellites. He differentiated between Planets and their moon or satellites. The breakdown of old doctrines about astronomy occurred, when Galileo saw that all the planets he discovered are moving around the sun and all the moons are moving around their mother planets. He came to decision that, our earth is not beyond this nature. In a moment, all the theories of Aristotle and related earth-centered universe concepts started to fall apart. Galileo also observed the phases of Moon and Venus. It became clear that, Venus also moves around the sun. In 1610, Galileo published his book Sidereus Nuncius where he included all his observations. This book made him more famous. In 1611, Galileo went to Rome and lectured and made many fans and foes. Galileo continued his research against all odds. He discovered solar-spot on sun’s surface. In 1613, he published another book on this ‘solar-spot’ matter. The war between blind religions and liberal science started in 1616. Galileo liked debating which is awful for religions. In 1624, Galileo started to write a book on Copernican concept in which he wanted to highlight that Copernicus was right. After getting permission of religious authority, the book was at last published in 1632. The name of this epic book is Dialogo sopra i due massimi sistemi, in English it’s called- Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems. After releasing the book, Catholics called Galileo in Rome. Galileo admitted his guilt (!). The authority that burnt Bruno alive sentenced Galileo imprisonment for life. He wasn’t put in jail; rather he was imprisoned in his own house in Florence. He never left research, though. He wrote another book in prison- Two New Sciences. Before becoming blind in 1637, he kept researching. His daughter Merry Celeste read expiatory verses seven times every day. After becoming blind Galileo said- “The universe, which I made a million times bigger, today, it became as small as my body.” The great scientist who trigged a new era of science, who wanted every human scientific-minded, who gave birth to a new scientific doctrine, died in January 8, 1642.
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 07:58:24 +0000