Through Galileo's eyes
I was in the beautiful city of Florence last week, following the trail of the great scientist Galileo. The year 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy, to mark the 400th anniversary of Galileo's amazing astronomical observations.
Since I am writing a chapter on Galileo for a forthcoming book, I was keen to see the actual telescope that he used. It is an extremely simple apparatus.
Galileo was born in Pisa in 1564 and died in Florence in 1642. He was an astronomer, philosopher, mathematician and physicist, a key figure in the scientific revolution. Indeed, Stephen Hawking cites him as probably the person most responsible for the birth of modern science.
Galileo originally planned to become a priest, but instead began training in medicine at the University of Pisa. While there he changed his mind again and began to study mathematics and philosophy. How fortunate the world was that he made that decision, for it equipped him to begin to unravel many of the mysteries of the universe.
His many discoveries were remarkable. He developed the compass, advanced many theories of physics, and raised observational astronomy to a new level. He observed the phases of Venus, which disproved the old Ptolemaic theory that the Earth was at the centre of the universe. He also described sunspots and discovered the four largest moons of Jupiter. Some of his observations, however, have been shown to be incorrect, suggesting that his failing vision impaired his ability to record accurately.
His work confirmed the theory of Copernicus that the sun was at the centre of the solar system – the heliocentric model. He published his findings in 1610, but drew the wrath of the Inquisition. In 1632 he was forced by the Inquisition to recant and was then kept under house arrest until his death in 1642. On the orders of the church he was buried in unconsecrated ground. His body was eventually reburied in the Basilica of Santa Croce in the 18th century. I visited his tomb and was impressed to see that there is a tableau above it depicting the heliocentric universe.
Galileo did not enjoy good health. He suffered from arthritis, insomnia and palpitations. He also had failing vision and is reported to have been blind in his later years.
There are two conundrums about Galileo. Firstly, it is wondered how someone with his failing vision could make such amazing observations. Secondly, it is known that he was buried alongside a woman, thought to be his daughter, Marie Celeste. Scientists at Florence's Institute for the History of Science want to have his body exhumed in order to obtain DNA from both bodies, to see if they are indeed related, and whether or not he was suffering from a genetic eye disease that could have affected his observations. The church has steadfastly refused the request.
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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