Galileo Galilei

Galileo Galilei was an Italian scientist whose contributions and works had made him one of the most significant scientists in introducing modern science. He is even known today as the father of modern science and the father of modern observational astronomy.

Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei, who is known today as Galileo Galilei, was born on February 15, 1564 in Pisa, Italy. He was the eldest among his siblings. His father, Vincenzo Galilei,  was a music teacher and a lutenist. His mother was Giulia degli Ammannati. He had tutoring lessons with Jacopo Borghini before he was educated in a monastery which is in Vallombrosa, Florence. His father wanted him to become a physician. In 1581, he entered the University of Pisa taking a medical degree. He was never inclined to study medicine and he preferred to pursue mathematics. It was Ostilio Ricci, one of Galileo’s mathematics teachers at the University of Pisa, who persuaded Galileo’s father to allow Galileo to study mathematics.

Galileo first taught mathematics in Florence in 1585. He also taught at Vallombrosa in 1586. In 1588, he was invited to lecture at the Academy of Florence through which he gained an excellent reputation. In 1589, he filled the post of Filippo Fantoni, one of his mathematics teachers at the University of Pisa, as the chair of mathematics. One of the incidents that led him to his discoveries on the pendulum was when he was observing a chandelier swinging back and forth while attending a service at the cathedral of Pisa. He noticed that the time it takes to complete one swing was always the same whether it was swinging fast or slow.

In 1591, Galileo’s father died and Galileo had to provide the rest of his family financially. In 1592, he was appointed at the University of Padua as a professor of mathematics and he received thrice as much salary as that which he was receiving at the University of Pisa.

In 1609, Galileo made his own telescope that could magnify around nine times and his claims included observing the moon and stars. In 1610, he became Chief Mathematician at the University of Pisa.

Galileo never married but he had three children with Marina Gamba. His two daughters, Virginia and Livia, were sent to a convent in Arcetri where they became known as Sister Maria Celeste and Sister Arcangela respectively. His son, Vincenzio, joined with him in Florence when Marina Gamba was married to another man.

Galileo’s arguments on supporting the Copernican theory with the sun as the center of the universe and opposing Ptolemaic and Aristotelian theories with the earth as the center of the universe made him a suspect against the Catholic Church. In 1632, he was called by the Inquisition, an institution of the Catholic Church, and he was charged as a heretic.

In 1838, Galileo became totally blind and he died of heart palpitations, while suffering from insomnia and hernia, on January 8, 1642 in Arcetri outside Florence. He left the world of science his works and discoveries on the pendulum and the telescope, on falling bodies, and on astronomy.

Galileo Galilei was an Italian scientist whose contributions and works had made him one of the most significant scientists in introducing modern science. He is even known today as the father of modern science and the father of modern observational astronomy. 

Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei, who is known today as Galileo Galilei, was born on February 15, 1564 in Pisa, Italy. He was the eldest among his siblings. His father, Vincenzo Galilei,  was a music teacher and a lutenist. His mother was Giulia degli Ammannati. He had tutoring lessons with Jacopo Borghini before he was educated in a monastery which is in Vallombrosa, Florence. His father wanted him to become a physician.

In 1581, he entered the University of Pisa taking a medical degree. He was never inclined to study medicine and he preferred to pursue mathematics. It was Ostilio Ricci, one of Galileo’s mathematics teachers at the University of Pisa, who persuaded Galileo’s father to allow Galileo to study mathematics.

Galileo first taught mathematics in Florence in 1585. He also taught at Vallombrosa in 1586. In 1588, he was invited to lecture at the Academy of Florence through which he gained an excellent reputation. In 1589, he filled the post of Filippo Fantoni, one of his mathematics teachers at the University of Pisa, as the chair of mathematics. One of the incidents that led him to his discoveries on the pendulum was when he was observing a chandelier swinging back and forth while attending a service at the cathedral of Pisa. He noticed that the time it takes to complete one swing was always the same whether it was swinging fast or slow. 

In 1591, Galileo’s father died and Galileo had to provide the rest of his family financially. In 1592, he was appointed at the University of Padua as a professor of mathematics and he received thrice as much salary as that which he was receiving at the University of Pisa. 

Galileo Galilei Picture

 

In 1609, Galileo made his own telescope that could magnify around nine times and his claims included observing the moon and stars. In 1610, he became Chief Mathematician at the University of Pisa. 

Galileo never married but he had three children with Marina Gamba. His two daughters, Virginia and Livia, were sent to a convent in Arcetri where they became known as Sister Maria Celeste and Sister Arcangela respectively. His son, Vincenzio, joined with him in Florence when Marina Gamba was married to another man. 

Galileo’s arguments on supporting the Copernican theory with the sun as the center of the universe and opposing Ptolemaic and Aristotelian theories with the earth as the center of the universe made him a suspect against the Catholic Church. In 1632, he was called by the Inquisition, an institution of the Catholic Church, and he was charged as a heretic.   

In 1838, Galileo became totally blind and he died of heart palpitations, while suffering from insomnia and hernia, on January 8, 1642 in Arcetri outside Florence. He left the world of science his works and discoveries on the pendulum and the telescope, on falling bodies, and on astronomy.