Galileo's Groundbreaking Telescope Debuts | Today in History (1609)

On August 25th, 1609, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei demonstrates his telescope for the first time to a group of merchants in Venice. When it comes to scientists who have changed the world, perhaps only Isaac Newton ranks ahead of Galileo. The discoveries he made with the telescope are a big reason why Galileo is so highly regarded. While there is evidence that the principles of the telescope were understood by the late 16th century, it's not until 1608 in the Netherlands that the first telescopes were created by eyeglass makers. Early telescopes were primarily used for making observations on Earth, utilized for things like surveying and military tactics. Galileo, having heard about the instrument's invention, constructed his own much-improved version. Galileo's improvements were significant enough that he has often been credited as the telescope's inventor, although re-inventor is probably a better way to label him. Galileo was the first to point the device toward the heavens, enabling him to discover that the moon's surface is not smooth, that the sun has dark spots, and that Jupiter has moons. His first demonstration of the telescope in Venice on August 25th, 1609, was impressive enough to earn him a lifetime lectureship at the University of Padua. Galileo went on to make many improvements to his first telescope, which was only able to magnify objects three times. He eventually developed an instrument that could magnify 30 times. In March 1610, Galileo published the Starry Messenger, where he outlined his discoveries and also expressed support for Nicolaus Copernicus' theory that the Earth revolves around the Sun. This challenges the teachings of the Catholic Church at the time. Keep in mind that, until 1870, the Pope was not only the head of the Church, but was also the political leader of much of central Italy. In 1616, Galileo faced the daunting task of testifying before the Inquisition in Rome. He was in a difficult position, forced to defend his beliefs in the face of powerful opposition. Under immense pressure, Galileo agreed to recant or take back his writings supporting the heliocentric theory. He also promised to stop teaching his heretical ideas. However, he soon went back on the agreement and resumed pushing the view that the Earth revolves around the Sun. He was brought before the Inquisition a second time in 1633, 17 years after his first interrogation. Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence he presented, the 69-year-old Galileo was again found guilty of heresy. He spent the rest of his life under house arrest, first in Rome and then in Florence. Galileo died at age 77 in 1642. His tomb can be found in Florence's Basilica di Santa Croce. Less than a year later, his heir apparent, Isaac Newton, was born in England. In 1992, 350 years after Galileo's death, Catholic Pope John Paul II formally apologized for the church's treatment of Galileo and officially acknowledged that he was right after all. Here are other events that happened to date in history. In 1825, with the support of Argentina's military, Uruguay declares independence from Brazil. In 1875, Englishman Matthew Webb becomes the first to swim across the English Channel. In 1939, the Wizard of Oz, one of the first feature films shot in color, opens in theaters. In 1944, Paris is liberated by the Allies after four years of German occupation during World War II. In 1985, 20-year-old Dwight Gooden becomes the youngest pitcher to win 20 games in a season. In 2009, Ted Kennedy, the liberal lion of the U.S. Senate, dies at age 77 from a brain tumor. In 2018, Vietnam veteran and U.S. Senator John McCain dies of cancer in Arizona at age 81. And now it's time for our Today in History quiz. Which city hosted the 1968 Democratic National Convention where Vietnam War protests turned violent? Minneapolis, St. Louis, Chicago, or Detroit? Think you know the answer? Drop your guesses in the comments below. Find out if you're right next time on Today in History.