Galileo’s Refracting Telescope (1609)

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Galileo's refracting telescope, developed in 1609, marked a pivotal moment in astronomical history. It consisted of a converging lens as the objective and a diverging lens as the eyepiece, producing an upright image. This design allowed for magnification of distant objects, initially up to three times and later refined to eight or thirty times. The telescope's significance lay in its ability to observe celestial bodies with unprecedented clarity, enabling groundbreaking discoveries. Galileo used his telescope to observe the Moon's craters, Jupiter's moons, the phases of Venus, and the Milky Way's composition of numerous stars. These findings challenged traditional geocentric views, supporting the Copernican heliocentric model. The telescope's impact was profound, transforming our understanding of the cosmos and establishing Galileo as a leading figure in astronomy. Despite its limitations, such as chromatic aberration, the Galilean telescope remains a foundational instrument in the history of astronomy.