Astro2110 – The Solar System

Galileo Galilei made many significant contributions to the field of astronomy studies. Primarily, he was able to offer new knowledge on laws of circular motion and inertia which served as a catalyst to the further studying of motion. Additionally, he utilized telescopic conformation in understanding the phases of Venus, analyzed sun spots, Saturn’s rings, and even observed the four largest satellites of Jupiter. He also gained knowledge about our moon and explored the countless individual stars that make up the Milky Way Galaxy. Find more information about Galileo Galilei’s historical contributions to the field of astronomy HERE.

During Galileo’s lifetime numerous historical events of significant occurred and many significant historical figures lived during his lifetime. In 1588, the English army defeated the Spanish Armada which was a major feat in itself since the Spanish Armada was always revered as a fleet that could never be defeated. Find more information about this event HERE. In 1607, the first ever permanent English settlement is established in America by the London Company in southeastern Virginia known as “Jamestown”. Find more information on the Jamestown settlement HERE. Born just towards the end of Galileo’s life, John Locke was born in 1632 and is famously known for his social contract theory in which men give up their right to individual freedom but must be protected by the establishment they give it up to. He was a very renown philosopher that I have personally learned about for many years in schooling. Find more information on the contributions of John Locke HERE.

Upon reflection of this assignment, I felt it was incredibly interesting to learn about the actual historical context in which these people lived. I feel that this assignment has disproven previous misconceptions I had about the time periods in which many of these astronomers lived in which I thought that Galileo and the other astronomers had either lived far before or much more recently than the dates that they actually did live in the past. I also find it very interesting to piece together historical evidence from different social categories such as war or the new settlements in America to the linkages of when great discoveries in the astronomical fields were taking place and I am very glad that I was able to complete this assignment to be able to firmly put these figures into context. 

Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa, Italy, on February 15, 1564 (his birthday is tomorrow!) and died on January 8, 1642 (Wikipedia Contributors, 2021). Galileo was instrumental to the field of astronomy (and arguably one of the most iconic astronomers), with one of his most prominent contributions being the solidification of the Copernican view. Galileo refuted the “three basic objections” of the heliocentric model:

1. The Earth could not be moving, because if it did, that would mean that objects in the Earth’s atmosphere would get left behind
2. The idea of noncircular orbits did not adhere to Aristotle’s idea that the heavens were perfect and circular
3. No one thus far had detected the stellar parallax that should have been observed if the Earth truly orbited the Sun

Once these three claims were refuted by Galileo (and he observed the phases of Venus and discovered that Jupiter had its own moons), it became pretty clear that the Earth was not the center of the universe and laid the foundation for further astronomical discoveries (Bennett et al., 2020). However, Galileo’s groundbreaking discoveries were not the only thing captivating the world. During this time, the Inquisition, an office in the Catholic Church which was established to find and punish heretics, was active and had its eyes set on Galileo’s and his work (History.com editors, 2017). In 1633, Galileo was brought before the Roman Inquisition and found guilty of heresy, forced to spend the rest of his life under house arrest (Wikipedia Contributors, 2021). Another event that occurred during Galileo’s lifetime was the establishment of Jamestown, Virginia, the first successful English colony in the New World. This settlement marked a new beginning for what would later become the United States and also proved profitable for its investors (“A Short History of Jamestown”, 2016). Yet another prominent figure in Galileo’s lifetime was John Locke, who was born 10 years before Galileo’s death. Locke, an English physician and philosopher, wrote many influential works and is most accredited with developing the social contract theory. His work and philosophical thinking was so prominent that his ideas are found in the Declaration of Independence and he is even considered one of the fathers of the Enlightenment (Britannica editors, 2021).

Researching the historical context behind Galileo and the time period he lived in has put so much into perspective for me. When you learn about something or someone, it is easy to think of it as a singular event without regarding the currents leading up to it, its effects, or even what is going on around the world at the same time. It’s fascinating to read about all of these prominent figures and historical events which were living/occurring around the same time, and has definitely made me realize that I need to start thinking about things in a wider context so as to draw connections and maybe even see how they influenced each other.

My chosen historical astronomer is Galileo Galilei, an Italian astronomer known for developing the scientific method, improving the telescope, and living under house arrest. During Galilei’s life, in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII implemented the Gregorian calendar, the one we use today, to replace the previous Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar is slightly more accurate. The English colony of Jamestown was founded during Galileo’s life, in 1607. Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. Another historical figure alive during Galilei’s time was Elizabeth I, the Queen of England. Her long rule is known for stabilizing England and transforming it into a major naval power. It was interesting placing the astronomer and other historical events and figures side by side. Usually I have learned about astronomers like Galilei and Kepler as pretty separate – in fact I did not know they were alive at the same time. I also did not know Elizabeth I was the queen when Galilei was alive, or that Jamestown was founded in his lifetime. I suppose it makes sense to not put two and two together considering England and Italy are different countries, but it was surprising none the less.