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Galileo: life - part II ~ slide 1 Galileo: Life Galileo: life - part II
Galileo: life - part II ~ slide 1
Galileo: Life
Galileo: life - part II
Galileo: life - part II ~ slide 2
Galileo: Life
– In 1610, Galileo published these findings in The Starry Messenger.
Galileo: life - part II ~ slide 3
Galileo: Life
– He dedicated the book to the Grand Duke Cosimo II de’Medici.
– The book was an immediate sensation and made Galileo famous overnight.
Galileo: life - part II ~ slide 4
Galileo: Life
On the day that Galileo’s Sidereus Nuncius was published, March 13, 1610, Sir Henry Wotton, the British Ambassador to Venice, wrote to his home office about the “strangest piece of news that hath ever yet received from any part of the world . . .” He goes on to describe Galileo’s use of the telescope and his discovery of “four new planets” (the moons of Jupiter), (more)
Galileo: life - part II ~ slide 5
Galileo: Life
the “true cause of the Via Lactae,” and “lastly that the moon is not spherical, but endued with many prominences,” . . . and “illuminated with the solar light by reflection from the body of the earth.” He continues that these discoveries will certainly overturn all astronomy and astrology. He observes that here in Italy “all corners are full” of talk about these discoveries. (more)
Galileo: life - part II ~ slide 6
Galileo: Life
He concludes the report by observing that Galileo “runneth a fortune to be either exceedingly famous or exceedingly ridiculous.”
Galileo: life - part II ~ slide 7
Galileo: Life
– The book does not contain a direct defense of the Copernican theory nor does it contain any direct evidence for the Copernican theory.
Galileo: life - part II ~ slide 8
Galileo: Life
– But it does seriously challenge the Ptolemaic theory & it contains hints that Galileo intended to support the Copernican theory.
Galileo: life - part II ~ slide 9
Galileo: Life
– After the publication, Galileo made new discoveries: sunspots, the rings of Saturn, & phases of Venus.
– Chronically pressed for money Had three children
to support
Galileo: life - part II ~ slide 10
Galileo: Life
and agreed to provide dowries for his two sisters
his brother, Michelangiolo, constantly asked him for money
Galileo: life - part II ~ slide 11
Galileo: Life
– Negotiated a position as Chief Mathematician and Philosopher to the Grand Duke Cosimo II & moved to Florence (1610).
Galileo: life - part II ~ slide 12
Galileo: Life
– Visited Rome and moved in highest circles, including visit with Pope Paul V.
– In 1613, a friend of Galileo and a Benedictine monk, Castelli, attended a breakfast in Pisa. The Grand Duchess Christina was present.
Galileo: life - part II ~ slide 13
Galileo: Life
– Christina raised the issue of the compatibility of Copernicanism with Scripture.
– Castelli gave Galileo an account of the discussion.
Galileo: life - part II ~ slide 14
Galileo: Life
– Galileo responded with a “Letter to Castelli” (1613). He enlarged the letter in 1615 and retitled it “Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina.”
– In 1615-16, Galileo lobbied for acceptance of Copernican theory. To Part III
