of the Earth.
A century later, in 1609, Galileo, born at Florence, invented the telescope.17 In 1610 he
discovered the four satellites of Jupiter, and calculated their revolutions. He recognized that the planets have no light like the stars, but that they receive light from the sun; that they are spheres similar to the Earth. He observed their phases, and determined the duration of their rotation upon their axes. He thus gave, by material proofs, a definite sanction to the system of Copernicus.
From this period the belief in superposed heavens was extinguished. The stars are innumerable suns, probable centers of as many planetary systems. The planets were recognized as worlds similar to the Earth, and like it, without doubt, inhabited. The sun was believed to be a star, and the center around which the planets, which are subject to it, revolve.
The stars are no more confined to a zone of the celestial sphere, but are irregularly disseminated in limitless space. Those which appear to touch each other are immeasurable distances apart. The smallest, in appearance, are the farthest from us; the largest, those which are nearest, are hundreds of thousands millions of miles distant from us.
The groups which have gained the name of constellations are only apparent assemblages caused by distance, perspective effects, such as appear to the view of him who is placed at a fixed point from lights dispersed over a vast plain, or the trees of a forest. But these assemblages do not in reality exist. If one could be transported into the region of one of these constellations by measure, as one would approach, the form would disappear, and new groups would design themselves to the sight.
Since these groups do not really exist, the signification that a common superstitious belief attributes to them is illusory, as they have only as groups an imaginary existence.
In order to distinguish the constellations, names have been given to them, such as these of: Lion, Bull, Twins, Virgin, Balance, Goat, Crab, Orion, Hercules, Great Bear or Chariot of David, Little Bear, Lyre, etc.; and they have been represented by figures corresponding to these names, but which in every case have but fanciful connection with the apparent forms of the starry groups. We should then seek in vain for these figures in the sky.
The belief in the influence of the constellations, particularly those which constitute the twelve signs of the Zodiac, comes from the idea attached to the names they bear. If that which is called Lion had been named Donkey or Lamb, people would have attributed to it a totally different influence.
17
Note of SAB: Dutch spectacle-maker Hans Lippershey is credited with inventing the first telescope in
the year 1608, when he discovered that a distant object appeared to be much closer when viewed through a concave lens and a convex lens held in front of each other. He mounted the lenses in a tube to make the first crude refracting telescope.
Science historians credit Italian scientist Galileo with the first use of the telescope for scientific observations of astronomical objects. In 1609, using a homemade telescope that could magnify objects to 20 times the size seen by the naked eye, Galileo discovered four moons orbiting the planet Jupiter. By the end of the following year, he had used his telescope to resolve the Milky Way Galaxy into countless stars, see dark spots on the Sun, and map the face of the Moon. The rapid rate of these discoveries and the extraordinary new insights they offered are unique in the history of astronomy. Soon after, telescopes started getting longer, because the ways to improve the focusing abilities of telescopes were either to lengthen the telescopes or to use mirrors -- and a "reflecting telescope" using mirrors wasn't invented until Newton did so in the 1670s. Source: http://encarta.msn.com
Systems of the Ancient and Modern World
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13. Galileo and Copernicus destroyed the old cosmogonies. Astronomical knowledge
advanced: it could not retrograde. History records the difficulties these men of genius had to encounter through prejudice, especially through the sectarian spirit of the times, which was interested in the maintenance of errors upon which the priesthood had founded beliefs considered unchangeable. The invention of an optical instrument has been the means of destroying the trelliswork of the beliefs of many thousands of years. Nothing could prevail against a truth which could be demonstrated to man’s vision. Thanks to the art of printing, the public gained a knowledge of the new ideas; and while some recognize their truth, and took part in the struggle for truth, it soon became necessary to combat, not simply a few individuals, but general opinion, which would take its part in the contest for truth.
How grand the universe is compared with the narrow proportions our forefathers assigned to it! How sublime God’s work when we see its accomplishment according to the laws of nature! But only with the aid of time, and the affords and devotion of men of genius, were the sealed eyes opened, and the bandage of ignorance removed.
14. Henceforth the way will be open for numerous and illustrious wise men to enter upon
the completion of the outlined work. Kepler, in Germany, discovered the celebrated laws which bear his name, and by the aid of which he discovered that planets describe not circular orbs but ellipses, of which the sun occupies one of the focuses. Newton, in England, discovered the law of universal gravitation. Laplace, in France, created celestial mechanics. In short, astronomy is no more a system founded upon conjecture and probability, but a science established upon the most rigorous bases of arithmetic and geometry. Thus one of the cornerstones of Genesis is laid, approximately 3,300 years after Moses.