Galileo Galilei (1564–1642)

3 min readSep 30, 2021

Galileo Galilei was one of the most famous scientific personalities of the earth. Galileo was an Italian mathematician, physicist, astronomer, engineer, and scientist. Many considered him the father of modern physics, the father of modern astronomy, father of modern physics. Galileo was one of the greatest inventors of history. He invented the telescope, the military compass, and a thermoscope.

Time and place of birth

Galileo was born on 15th February 1564, in Pisa in the duchy of Florence. Now it is a part of Italy.

Early life

Galileo was born in Pisa, a very famous city in Italy. He was born to Vincenzo Galilei and Guilia ammannati. He was the eldest one of his six siblings. Michelangelo was his youngest brother.

When he was just years old his family immigrated to Florence but Galileo was left in the guardianship of Muzio Tebaldi. He joined his family after two years in Florence. In this city, Galileo became a man from a boy and got an education.

Adult life

In 1561 Galileo was sent back to Pisa to live again with his former guardian. He returned to Pisa to earn a medical degree because his father wanted him to. In 1583 he was back again in Florence to join his family. Galileo was encouraged by a mathematician named ostilio Ricci.

In 1591 Galileo‘s father was dead and being the eldest son of the family it’s now his turn to take responsibility. In 1600 he became a father for the first time because of his long-term relationship with Maria Gamba. After that, he had two more children. In 1609 he made that instrument that made him immortal in history, this instrument was the telescope.

Death

Galileo left this world on 8 January 1642, in arcetri near Florence, Italy. He died because of fever and heart palpitations.

Education and career

He went to the University of Pisa in 1580 for a medical degree but he was not interested in this. In 1589 he became a teacher of mathematics in Pisa. From 1592 to 1610 he taught astronomy, geometry, and mechanics at the University of Padua.

Interesting facts about galileo Galilei

Galileo was not the original inventor of the telescope. The original idea was of a dutchman named Lipperhey.
His both daughters became a nun for their entire life.
He was sent to life imprisonment but later this was changed to house arrest. And all this happens because of his very controversial work named dialogue of the two principal systems of the world.
Galileo became blind some years before his death.
He was the elder brother of Michelangelo who is also a renowned figure of history.

Achievements

He was the founder of hydrostatic balance.
He was the inventor of the modern thermometer.
Galileo invented the modern military compass.
Galileo is considered the father of modern observational astrology.
He was the man to discover the moons of Jupiter.
Galileo’s most important work is the principle of reality.
For his contribution to this field, Galileo is considered the father of modern science.

Books written by galileo

Sidereus nuncius
Dialogue concerning the two chief world systems
Two new sciences
The assayer
Letter to the grand duchess Christina
Letters on sunspots
Discoveries on floating bodies
On motion
La operazioni del compasso geometrico
Discourse on the comets