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Galileo Galilei
1564-1642
Statue of Galileo in
Florence
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Achievements
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Improved the telescope (improved
magnification)
Discovered 3 of Jupiter’s moons
One of the first Europeans to discover
sunspots
Observed craters and mountains on moon
Observed Neptune, but did not know it
was a planet
Experiments
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Predicted that two dropped balls of
different weights would fall at
approximately the same time (in a
vacuum)
Also did a projectile experiment: If a ball
is dropped straight from point A and a ball
is shoved from point A, they will land at
the same time
Closed in 1990 to
prevent it from toppling
over. Soil was removed
from the raised end, but
only enough to partially
correct the lean. Safe
for another 300 years.
Opened in 2001.
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Controversy with the Church
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In 1616, Galileo was told to stop teaching
the heliocentric model by Cardinal
Bellarmine
Then Galileo’s friend became Pope Urban
VIII in 1623 (tolerant)
Galileo was told to give arguments for and
against heliocentrism, but was not to
promote heliocentrism
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Galileo is eventually accused of heresy
Ordered to recant his ideas and placed on
house arrest
Soon loses his eyesight and can only leave
his house for religious purposes
Dies in 1642, the same year Isaac Newton
is born
Galileo’s Recantation
Writing Assignment
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Pretend you are Galileo living in house
arrest with failing health
Write a journal entry that reflects on some
of the milestones in your life
Achievements, experiments, conflict with
church, trial, house arrest, etc
You must have 10 complete sentences