Galileo's Accomplishments

Galileo might be the most famous person in the development of astronomy. He is famous, not only because of the amazing work he did to advance Copernican theory of heliocentrism, but also because of the controversy that surrounded him. Using new methods and instruments, he provided compelling new evidence to support Copernican theory. He also contributed to the development of theories of physics that could account for the movements of bodies in new terms. His observations of the movements of objects in the heavens required different explanations than the old ideas about the heavens. It required him, and others, to begin to understand the reasons to explain these new observations. His efforts to publicize his findings was met by

Making revolutionary discoveries that some only dreamed of Galileo did extraordinary things and pushed the limit of science.

During most of the 16th and 17th centuries, it was not easy for scientists to make new discoveries and present them to the world. The Catholic Church, a dominating force during that period, persecuted anyone who would spread ideas and opinions that contradicted what the Bible stated. Both Copernicus and Galileo believed in the heliocentric theory, also called Copernicus theory, which stated that the sun was at the centre of the universe and the earth revolves around it. However, the Catholic Church did not agree with this idea because the Bible stated that the earth was at the centre of the universe and the sun revolved around it, which is the complete opposite. Due to this disagreement, Copernicus and Galileo were threaded by the Catholic Church and

In 1633 the Vatican put a famous astronomer under house arrest. His name was Galileo Galeli, and he was one of the most talented scientists to ever walk the face of the earth. Galileo was an early pioneer in the field of physics and astronomy, and played an important role in the scientific revolution of the 17th century.

The Catholic church has performed many acts of injustice in order to retain their power and influence throughout the world. One of the most prominent acts in the world of science was the prosecution of Galileo Galilei. Galileo had become the father of modern science, due to his scientific breakthroughs revolutionizing modern technology. However, Galileo’s supporting argument for the Copernican heliocentric theory of the universe had caught the Church’s attention, and they would go on to accuse Galileo of heresy, forcing him to spend the rest of his life under house arrest. The battle between Galileo and the Holy Office was a long and treacherous one with Galileo being condemned not once, but twice. This led to a

Scientifically, Galileo will be remembered for invention of the telescope, which allowed astronomers, sailors and other view the heavens and seas, which fed their own theories. He used his own invention to discover the four moons of Jupiter, the mountains and craters of the moon, and sunspots. His work on falling objects led to gravitational studies and mathematical theorems which are on a basic level, physics. Experimentation was used as a means to prove the laws of science along with the mathematical theories. Math, according to Galileo, was the only infallible form of logic. If a mathematical law could be formed from an event, then it was a logical, rational event. His breaking from the Catholic Church, voicing his findings and staying with his convictions broke the traditional way of thinking that the Church was the end all and be all of all things. In the end, he was proven right for most of his beliefs and vindicated for his suppression.

The scientific Revolution was a new way of thinking about the natural world based on observations and willingness to question accepted beliefs. Most of these accepted beliefs came from the Bible, and the church did not like that people were beginning to challenge its ideas. The people that went against what the church and the Bible said were considered heretics. Galileo is one of those people. He believed that the sun stood still and that the earth moved around it. This contradicted the word of God, which said that the earth stood still and the sun moved around it. “I add that the words ‘the sun also riseth and the sun goeth down, and hasteneth to the place where he ariseth, etc.’ were those of Solomon, who not only spoke by divine inspiration but was a man wise above all others and most learned in human sciences and in the knowledge of all

When Galileo’s astronomical claims became public, it was a large blow to The Church. The Church claimed that he was undermining the power of Scripture. If it had publically accepted Galileo’s claims, the Church’s authority would be further questioned. By suggesting that the earth revolved around the Sun, Galileo was questioning centuries of what people regarded to be the “truth,” and this did not sit well with the Church leaders. However, he did explain that he was not questioning the Bible itself, but questioning the interpretation of the Bible by those in positions of spiritual authority.

Galileo influenced modern science through his advancement in

He published many books about his thinking, which spread his ideas about the country. He used science to prove many people's theories wrong, including the church’s. He proved the longstanding physics of aristotle. Galileo’s inventing skills led him to improving science in many ways. He invented the thermometer, although his version was not very reliable it led many other inventors to improving it.

In the history of the Catholic Church, no episode is so contested by so many viewpoints as the condemnation of Galileo. The Galileo case, for many, proves the Church abhors science, refuses to abandon outdated teachings, and is clearly not infallible. For staunch Catholics the episode is often a source of embarrassment and frustration. Either way it is undeniable that Galileo’s life sparked a definite change in scientific thought all across Europe and symbolised the struggle between science and the Catholic Church.

One of his biggest and most significant discoveries was the confirmation that the sun was the center of the universe. This idea of a sun-centered universe is called a heliocentric universe. This idea was first proposed by Nicolaus Copernicus. The Catholic Church believed that the Earth was the center of the universe. This is called a geocentric universe. When Galileo announced his discovery it was immediately denied by the

In summer of 1609, Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) pointed his revolutionary astronomical telescope to the heavens under the starry Venetian sky; his greatly important observations unveiled the mysteries of universe and would end up changing the course of scientific thought forever. Galileo lived in an age where there was much status quo, when scientists and philosophers would accept scientific and religious doctrine that had stood for hundreds, if not thousands, of years instead of challenging the accepted knowledge in favor of intellectual progress. Galileo’s scientific methods lead to significant discoveries explaining key scientific laws, such as the

The scientific revolution was one of the greatest times in the 16th century and its ideals have proved to last to this very day. The great minds of the scientific revolution brought forth new concepts and vastly complex while each one is rooted in a basic fundamental. Some of these ideas and fundamentals were of the outside world, aka space, the planet and the stars, motion, and physics. One of the best minds of this time was, of course, Galileo Galilei. This great astronomer was a marvel at his work, he introduced controversial concepts that the church did not accept but those that he believed were to be true. Written by Galileo himself, this letter to the Grand Duchess professed his great discoveries and how they changed old ideas and

Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa, Italy on February 15, 1564 and was named after his ancestor Galileo Bonaiuti who was a physician, professor, and politician. His parents were Giulia Ammannati and Vincenzo Galilei, a famous lutenist, composer, and music theorist. He was the first born of six children of which three of his five siblings survived infancy. He started his education at the young age of 8 at the Camaldolese Monastery at Vallombrosa, which brought a close connection to the Christian religion.