Profile of the Day: Galileo Galilei

Galileo Galilei

Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei died on this day in 1642. A pioneer and revolutionary thinker of his time, Galileo’s scientific discoveries would forever change the world’s understanding of the universe.

Galileo was born on February 15, 1564 in Pisa, Italy. He was the oldest of six children born to Giulia Ammannati and Vincenzo Galilei, a famous lutenist and composer. As a young man, Galileo considered joining the priesthood before turning his attention to science and mathematics.

His work to improve the construction of the telescope enabled him to observe objects in space far better than ever before. He looked to the moon’s surface, observed the phases of Venus, the moons of Jupiter and was one of the first to observe sunspots. His observations led him to support the Copernican theory of heliocentrism, the idea that sun was the center of the universe and the Earth and other planets revolved around it. However, such statements were considered heretical at the time and Galileo was accused more than once of heresy by the Roman Catholic Church.

It wasn’t until after Galileo’s death on January 8, 1642 that his revolutionary discoveries would be accepted by the Church. Today, he is remembered as the “Father of Modern Science.”
 

View Galileo Galilei’s Geni Profile

Image: Wikimedia Commons