this post was submitted on 16 Sep 2023
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[–] cyd@lemmy.world 47 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Fun fact about Galileo and the Moon. Late in life, Galileo discovered the librations of the moon, small oscillations in the Moon's orientation that allow us to peek at small bits of the dark side. At the time of this discovery, he was already 68 and in the process of going blind. He went completely blind a few years later.

[–] nevernevermore@kbin.social 60 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Fun fact

He went completely blind a few years later.

this got progressively less fun as it went along

[–] dan80@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 year ago

yep, it took a dark turn.

[–] palitu@aussie.zone 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Really cool. Are there any details about it?

[–] Hubi@feddit.de 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Here's the article on the pamphlet that Galileo published the pictures in:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidereus_Nuncius

[–] palitu@aussie.zone 6 points 1 year ago

Thanks, interesting read.

Can you imagine seeing for the first time Jupiter through a telescope?

And then he was put under house arrest by the catholic Church!

[–] mookulator@mander.xyz 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Is this in a museum somewhere? Would be cool to see up close

[–] player2@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I found a great scan of the original book on the Smithsonian website but I'm still unsure where it is located today.

https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/sidereusnuncius00gali

[–] wrath-sedan@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago

Something about these is so calming, thanks Gal Gal.

[–] oce@jlai.lu 1 points 1 year ago

Galileo Galileo